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In an indictment unsealed Monday, federal prosecutors in New York revealed new details about alleged bribes paid to former FIFA executives in exchange for votes awarding the World Cup to Russia and Qatar.
Former FIFA executive Jack Warner, of Trinidad and Tobago, received $5 million for his vote to award the 2018 World Cup to Russia, according to the indictment, and former FIFA executive and Guatemalan soccer federation president Rafael Salguero was offered $1 million for his vote. The indictment does not state whether Salguero received the payment.
Two other FIFA executives — Nicolás Leoz, former president of the South American soccer governing body CONMEBOL, and former Brazilian soccer federation president Ricardo Teixeira — also received bribes of undisclosed amounts in exchange for their votes to give the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, according to the indictment.
The bribes were arranged in the days leading up to a December 2010 meeting of FIFA executives in Zurich, where global soccer executives voted on the locations of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. The announcement that month of upcoming World Cups going to Russia and Qatar — particularly the latter, whose climate will require the World Cup to be played outside the summer months for the first time — immediately prompted speculation of corruption.
All four FIFA executives had been accused of crimes in prior indictments in a long-running investigation of corruption in global soccer overseen by the U.S. attorney’s office for the Eastern District of New York, which has resulted in dozens of convictions of former FIFA executives since charges were first brought in May 2015. Warner, 77, has fought extradition for nearly five years and still lives in Trinidad and Tobago. Salguero, 73, pleaded guilty to several charges in 2016. Leoz fought extradition from Paraguay until his death last year at 90. Teixeira, 72, continues to fight extradition from Brazil.
Monday’s indictment included new charges against two former executives with 21st Century Fox, Hernan Lopez and Carlos Martinez, who were charged with wire fraud and money laundering in connection with allegations they paid bribes to CONMEBOL officials to win media, television and marketing rights for a South American soccer tournament, the Copa Libertadores, as well as other events.
“The charges unsealed today reflect this Office’s ongoing commitment to rooting out corruption at the highest levels of international soccer and at the businesses engaged in promoting and broadcasting the sport,” said Richard P. Donoghue, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.
Attorneys for both former Fox executives denounced the charges in statements.
“It’s shocking that the government would bring such a thin case. … Mr. Lopez can’t wait to defend himself at trial,” said Matthew Umhofer, Lopez’s lawyer.
“I am certain that a jury will swiftly exonerate Carlos, as the charges against him are nothing more than stale fiction,” said Steven McCool, Martinez’s lawyer.
21st Century Fox is now owned by the Walt Disney Company, whose corporate spokespeople did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/spor...ward-world-cups-russia-qatar-prosecutors-say/
Former FIFA executive Jack Warner, of Trinidad and Tobago, received $5 million for his vote to award the 2018 World Cup to Russia, according to the indictment, and former FIFA executive and Guatemalan soccer federation president Rafael Salguero was offered $1 million for his vote. The indictment does not state whether Salguero received the payment.
Two other FIFA executives — Nicolás Leoz, former president of the South American soccer governing body CONMEBOL, and former Brazilian soccer federation president Ricardo Teixeira — also received bribes of undisclosed amounts in exchange for their votes to give the 2022 World Cup to Qatar, according to the indictment.
The bribes were arranged in the days leading up to a December 2010 meeting of FIFA executives in Zurich, where global soccer executives voted on the locations of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. The announcement that month of upcoming World Cups going to Russia and Qatar — particularly the latter, whose climate will require the World Cup to be played outside the summer months for the first time — immediately prompted speculation of corruption.
All four FIFA executives had been accused of crimes in prior indictments in a long-running investigation of corruption in global soccer overseen by the U.S. attorney’s office for the Eastern District of New York, which has resulted in dozens of convictions of former FIFA executives since charges were first brought in May 2015. Warner, 77, has fought extradition for nearly five years and still lives in Trinidad and Tobago. Salguero, 73, pleaded guilty to several charges in 2016. Leoz fought extradition from Paraguay until his death last year at 90. Teixeira, 72, continues to fight extradition from Brazil.
Monday’s indictment included new charges against two former executives with 21st Century Fox, Hernan Lopez and Carlos Martinez, who were charged with wire fraud and money laundering in connection with allegations they paid bribes to CONMEBOL officials to win media, television and marketing rights for a South American soccer tournament, the Copa Libertadores, as well as other events.
“The charges unsealed today reflect this Office’s ongoing commitment to rooting out corruption at the highest levels of international soccer and at the businesses engaged in promoting and broadcasting the sport,” said Richard P. Donoghue, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York.
Attorneys for both former Fox executives denounced the charges in statements.
“It’s shocking that the government would bring such a thin case. … Mr. Lopez can’t wait to defend himself at trial,” said Matthew Umhofer, Lopez’s lawyer.
“I am certain that a jury will swiftly exonerate Carlos, as the charges against him are nothing more than stale fiction,” said Steven McCool, Martinez’s lawyer.
21st Century Fox is now owned by the Walt Disney Company, whose corporate spokespeople did not immediately reply to a request for comment.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/spor...ward-world-cups-russia-qatar-prosecutors-say/
