The former chief executive of JJB Sports, Christopher Ronnie, has been convicted of accepting over £1 million from suppliers in his tenure at the head of the company.
Mr Ronnie denied fraud but the court heard that he did not disclose the payments to the board. He was convicted of three counts of fraud and two of furnishing false information over the backhanders, which were used to buy property in Florida.
JJB Sports was founded by former professional footballer Dave Whelan in 1971. Mr Whelan subsequently sold the company in 2007 and his shares in the firm were bought by Ronnie. He was chief executive at the firm until March 2009.
