Athletic apparel company Adidas has launched an investigation into allegations of "compliance violations" in China after receiving an anonymous letter earlier this month accusing local executives of embezzling "millions of euros," according to news reports.
Adidas confirmed it had received an anonymous June 7 letter indicating potential "compliance violations" in China, the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg reported.
The shoe and sportwear maker said it was investigating the matter together with external legal counsel, the news outlets reported.
Chinese state media outlet Jiemian last week reported that an anonymous group of whistleblowers, who called themselves employees of Adidas China, had sent the letter containing the allegations to the company's German headquarters.
The letter, which was published by Jiemian but also widely circulated on social media, accused senior executives and several staff members of embezzlement and receiving bribes from suppliers in the form of cash and real estate, and of taking kickbacks from celebrities and advertising agencies.
One senior executive was also accused of workplace bullying, such as swearing at subordinates, and of nepotism.
The whistleblowers said that if Adidas did not address the issues brought up in the letter, the matter would be disclosed to external media and "legal departments."
Greater China, which encompasses mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, makes up 15% of Adidas' sales, according to its 2023 annual report.
The German brand is the second-largest sportswear brand in China, behind Nike.
Adidas' Greater China sales grew 8% in 2023, after declines between 2019 and 2022 due to COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns and a backlash in China against Western brands which refuse to use Xinjiang cotton. Activists say cotton produced in Xinjiang often involves forced labor.
Adidas regularly engages popular Chinese celebrities to be its brand ambassadors, including singer and actor Jackson Yee, popular Chinese rapper Gali and Dilraba, a popular Chinese singer of Uyghur descent.
John Amos, patriarch on “Good Times” and an Emmy nominee for “Roots,” dies at 84
John Amos, who starred as the family patriarch on the hit 1970s sitcom "Good Times" and earned an Emmy nomination for his role in the seminal 1977 miniseries "Roots," has died. He was 84.
He died Aug. 21 of natural causes in Los Angeles. Amos' publicist, Belinda Foster, confirmed the news of his death Tuesday.
He played James Evans Sr. on "Good Times," which featured one of television's first Black two-parent families. Produced by Norman Lear and co-created by actor Mike Evans, who co-starred on "All in the Family" and "The Jeffersons," it ran from 1974-79 on CBS.
"That show was the closest depiction in reality to life as an African American family living in those circumstances as it could be," Amos told Time magazine in 2021.
Among Amos' film credits were "Let's Do It Again" with Bill Cosby and Sidney Poitier, "Coming to America" with Eddie Murphy and its 2021 sequel, "Die Hard 2," "Madea's Witness Protection" and "Uncut Gems" with Adam Sandler. He was in Ice Cube and Dr. Dre's 1994 video "Natural Born Killaz."
Amos' "Good Times" character, along with wife Florida, played by Esther Rolle, originated on another Lear show, "Maude." James Evans often worked two manual labor jobs to support his family that included three children, with Jimmie Walker becoming a breakout star as oldest son J.J.
Such was the show's impact that Alicia Keys, Rick Ross, the Wu-Tang Clan are among the musicians who name-checked Amos or his character in their lyrics.
"Many fans consider him their TV father," his son Kelly Christopher Amos said in a statement. "He lived a good life. His legacy will live on in his outstanding works in television and film as an actor. My father loved working as an actor throughout his entire life He was my dad,... Read More