adidas has filed a federal lawsuit against sneaker release platform Sole Retriever and its founder Harris R. Monoson, alleging trade secret misappropriation, extortion, and the unauthorized publication of confidential product imagery spanning multiple sneaker lines.
The suit, filed March 12, 2026 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Oregon (case no. 3:26-cv-00484), was brought under the Defend Trade Secrets Act. adidas is seeking at least $75,000 in damages plus injunctive relief.
According to court documents, the dispute escalated on August 31, 2025, when Monoson sent an email to adidas and Pitchblend contacts alleging that adidas basketball had ignored Sole Retriever's outreach and made false promises. In the email, Monoson explicitly threatened the brand, stating that Sole Retriever possessed the full AE2 lineup in every colorway — an implicit warning that the images would be published if the relationship was not addressed.
Two days later, on September 2, Sole Retriever posted what it described as a "speculative mock-up" of the Anthony Edwards 2 "Bred" colorway to Instagram and X. adidas alleges the image was a highly confidential, stolen file — not a mock-up. By September 11, the platform had published what it labeled "official" images of the AE2 "Lucid Red" and "Blue Fusion" colorways, including style codes and a confirmed $130 retail price. Adidas issued a formal cease-and-desist order the following day, demanding the return or destruction of all unauthorized materials.
The leaks continued. In January 2026, Sole Retriever published computer-aided prototype designs (CADs) for two additional unreleased products: the Anthony Edwards 3 and the D.O.N. Issue 8. The AE3 post received over 12,200 likes. According to the lawsuit, the platform's account commented on the post, stating that the images came "directly from the brand." adidas alleges that the materials were obtained from unnamed individuals identified as defendants in the complaint.
Neither Sole Retriever nor Monoson has issued a public response to the filing as of publication.
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