NC State seeking restitution in Dennis Smith Jr. Adidas case

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- NC State is seeking upward of $260,000 in restitution from former Adidas executive Jim Gatto in the wake of the Dennis Smith Jr. pay-for-play scandal.

The school is asking for roughly $24,000 to repay the cost of Smith Jr.'s tuition for his one year as well as $235,000 to cover its associated legal costs. The school estimated it could be out of pocket for another half-million dollars before the whole mess is wrapped up.

In a letter dated Feb. 22, Athletic Director Debbie Yow told the judge in charge of sentencing Gatto and his two co-defendants that the trial and the associated publicity "unquestionably damaged the reputation" of NC State. She further laid out the school's "firmly embedded expectations for integrity and excellence" and "deeply rooted culture of compliance."

Adidas operative TJ Gassnola said he personally delivered a $40,000 payment to then-NC State assistant coach Orlando Early under then-head coach Mark Gottfried that was earmarked for Dennis Smith Jr.'s dad to help firm up his son's commitment to NC State.

The school has maintained that it had no knowledge of the transaction and couldn't have been reasonably expected to know.

"... There is no detection technique to identify an individual who intentionally chooses to violate an NCAA rule and then hides the misconduct from both the University and the NCAA," the letter from Yow said.

Sentencing in the case is expected very soon.