Merl Code, who was federally convicted and imprisoned for his actions while working as a consultant to Adidas, filed a lawsuit Monday against the shoe company claiming he acted on their approval. He is seeking the recovery of legal fees and other damages.

Code was originally arrested in 2017, when the FBI swept up 10 basketball coaches and recruiting middle men in an effort to clean up college basketball. He was convicted of bribery and fraud in successive trials in the Southern District of New York. He served 5 1/2 months in federal prison.

A former Clemson basketball star, Code had worked extensively for Nike and then as a consultant to Adidas in the world of grassroots basketball. That included aiding Adidas-affiliated college programs in recruiting.