Nike Basketball Sample Sneaker Foul Play Results in Federal Investigation

Now we turn our attention to a recently unveiled internal scandal stemming from Beaverton to the rest of the United States. Nike‘s Tung Ho and his predecessor, Kyle Yamaguchi – founder of eyewear label LOOK/SEE – have been named in a Federal investigation surrounding the resale and distribution of rare Nike Basketball samples – referred to as “Look See” models in Nike jargon. Using his authority as Promo Product Manager at Nike Basketball, Ho would order sample kicks under the pretense of giving them to athletes (Kevin Durant and LeBron James amongst them) for on-court wear, then intercept the shoes upon their arrival. Yamaguchi acted as the middleman, distributing the sneakers to resellers like Jason Keating – who has also been named as a major player in the case. With the stolen goods having crossed state lines, the according punishment will be decided by U.S. federal courts, who don’t tend to take large-scale theft lightly. Head over to The Smoking Gun to view a scan of the affidavit and be sure to stay tuned as more news on this case surfaces.