NEW YORK \u2014 Two former Fox executives went on trial on Tuesday after they bribed South American football officials for the television rights to one of South America’s biggest annual tournaments and used information gleaned in the process to network. was accused of using it to help with the World Cup broadcast bid.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
This is the latest case to come to court in the widespread FIFA corruption scandal.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Hern\u00e1n Lopez and Carlos Mart\u00ednez, through a partnership with Argentinian production and marketing company Torneos y Competencias, have signed the South American Football Confederation to broadcast the Copa Libertadores, an annual club tournament similar to the Champions League in Europe. was charged with paying bribes and kickbacks to officials of .<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor Zapana told jurors in his opening statement that the alleged bribery totaled millions of dollars and fostered a system of secret, no-bid, below-market contracts that ” We have made it possible for dishonest football executives to live and buy in luxury.” The phrase “Buy Chanel, Herm\u00e8s” refers to two popular luxury brands.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
“Everyone won, except for the soccer game,” Zapana said during the trial in federal court in Brooklyn, which is expected to last at least a month.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Prosecutors said Lopez and Martinez had other football interests at Fox, including obtaining classified information from high-ranking FIFA and federation officials about the bid for US broadcast rights to the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. It claims to have made it possible to promote<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Zapana said the bribes helped “expand Fox’s reach.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Originally from Argentina, Lopez is the former CEO of Fox International Channels. He left the company in his 2016 to launch podcasting company Wondery. Originally from Mexico, Martinez is the former President of Fox International’s Latin America affiliate.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Fox denies any involvement in bribery. In 2019, the company sold an entity involved in football broadcasting in South America as part of a major restructuring that sold film studios, cable networks and international assets.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Another sports media and marketing company, Full Play Group SA, is on trial along with Lopez and Martinez, but the bribery allegations against the company involve separate television rights. Incorporated in Uruguay and owned by father-son duo Hugo and Mariano Jinquis, Full Play has been bribed for rights to the Copa America, the national team competition that happens every four years, as well as World Cup qualifiers and friendlies. is accused of paying<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Lawyers for Lopez and Martinez allege former executives have been deceived and retaliated against by former business partners over the Copa Libertadores deal. has agreed to cooperate and testify as a star prosecution witness in multiple football corruption trials after his bribery arrest.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Lopez’s attorney, John Gleeson, claimed in his opening statement that it was Bruzaco who, without Lopez and Martinez’s knowledge, had secretly bribed a South American federal official known as CONMEBOL. Mr Gleason said Mr Bruzaco is now falsely accusing them to increase his value to prosecutors and keep them out of jail.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Lopez and Martinez began working with Brusaco in 2011 when Fox International Channels took over the South American sports network that had partnered with Torneos in broadcasting the Copa Libertadores. Gleason said Bruzaco barred management from negotiating with his CONMEBOL and refused to provide a copy of the contract.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Mr Gleason said Mr Lopez was unaware of Mr Bruzaco’s actions. He allegedly bribed CONMEBOL officials into owning the TV rights instead of affiliating with FOX.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Lopez immediately alerted Fox’s internal audit and legal departments and sent a team of accountants and investigators to Argentina, Gleason said. Burzaco said he was arrested nine months later.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Gleason described Brzaco as a “walking and talking criminal gang” and “professional criminals and con artists”. He pleaded with the jury to decide “whether you believe a word he says” and said his testimony against Lopez and Mart\u00ednez was “a chance to return to the enemies who are blaming him for his demise.” rice field.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
“You’ll see his attempts to get revenge,” Gleason said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
Burzaco pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy and other charges. He testified in 2017 that all three South Americans on the FIFA Executive Committee had received a $1 million bribe to help Qatar bid for the recently completed 2022 World Cup.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
So far, more than 20 people have pleaded guilty and two have been convicted in cases stemming from a US-led investigation into tens of millions of dollars in bribes and kickbacks at football’s highest level. Corporate entities also pleaded guilty, and four companies entered into deferred or non-prosecution agreements.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n