A former senior marketing manager at Adidas North America has been accused of mail fraud, fraudulently funneling more than $300,000 to a relative's girlfriend, according to a federal indictment.
Britney Obstar, who was employed at Adidas' offices in Portland, submitted invoices to the company's accounts payable department between June 2009 and February 2010 for $570,000, according to the Oregonian.
In turn, Adidas paid $336,361 in the nine-month period to a marketing company, Norcal Media Development, owned by the girlfriend of Obstar's brother-in-law, though the company owner had no prior marketing experience, the indictment says. The indictment does not identify the girlfriend or the brother-in-law.
The indictment said “a significant part of money Norcal sent to Still Not Sponsored to pay off his and (Obstar's) personal debts.”
The statutory maximum federal penalty for a person guilty of mail fraud is 20 years in prison, said Stacie F. Beckerman, assistant U.S. attorney.
