Corrupt FIFA bigs booted
Two former South American soccer officials were convicted Friday of corruption charges at a US trial stemming from the FIFA bribery scandal, while deliberations will continue next week for a third official.
A federal jury in Manhattan deliberated a week before reaching the partial verdict.
Jose Maria Marin, the former president of Brazil’s soccer federation, and Juan Angel Napout, formerly president of Paraguay’s soccer federation and of the South American soccer governing body CONMEBOL, were convicted on charges including the top count of racketeering conspiracy. Jurors were undecided on Manuel Burga, the former president of Peru’s soccer federation.
The three had been arrested in 2015. Prose- cutors accused them of agreeing to take millions of dollars in bribes from businessmen seeking to lock up media rights or influence hosting rights for the World Cup and other major FIFA tournaments.
More than 40 people in the world of global soccer faced criminal charges in the US in connection with the schemes. Many of the other defendants pleaded guilty.
The trial was colored by odd twists: an accusation that Burga threatened a witness; a juror booted for sleeping through testimony; an Argentinian lawyer who committed suicide after being named at the trial as a bribe-taker; and the surprise testimony of a former member of the Jonas Brothers.
Marin and Napout will be jailed while they await sentencing.