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Two former Fox executives, Carlos Martinez, and Hernan Lopez, and a sports activities advertising and marketing firm, Full Play Group SA, oversaw a multi-million greenback bribe scheme to land below-market media contracts and safe the loyalty of officers at South American soccer’s governing physique, CONMEBOL
Jurors started deliberating Monday in a case in opposition to two former 21st Century Fox executives and a sports activities advertising and marketing firm accused of bribing South American soccer officers in alternate for profitable broadcasting rights.
Brooklyn federal prosecutors allege Carlos Martinez and Hernan Lopez oversaw a multi-million greenback bribe scheme to land below-market media contracts and safe the loyalty of officers at South American soccer’s governing physique, CONMEBOL. Co-defendant Full Play Group SA is accused of related conduct.
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All three defendants pleaded not responsible and have denied wrongdoing.
Over the seven-week trial, jurors noticed emails, contracts and enterprise data that prosecutors say revealed a years-long plot by Martinez and Lopez to advance their careers by funnelling funds to soccer officers via sham contracts and consulting agreements.
The case stems from a sweeping probe of corruption in worldwide soccer and its world governing physique, FIFA. The investigation has resulted in dozens of convictions since U.S. and worldwide authorities made their first arrests in 2015.
The authorities’s case hinges largely on the testimony of Argentine businessman Alejandro Burzaco, who has pleaded responsible to bribing soccer officers however has but to be sentenced.
Burzaco advised jurors that Martinez and Lopez have been conscious of and accredited the scheme, which he stated they mentioned throughout a number of conferences.
The protection has assailed Burzaco’s credibility, alleging he falsely implicated Martinez and Lopez to safe a lighter sentence beneath his cooperation settlement with the federal government.
A lawyer for Burzaco stated it was “absurd” to recommend his shopper was mendacity in his “highly corroborated” testimony.
Lawyers for Martinez and Lopez advised jurors throughout closing arguments on Friday that their shoppers have been unaware of Burzaco’s scheme. None of the emails and paperwork cited by prosecutors immediately implicated the 2 males, they argued.
Prosecutors stated Burzaco’s testimony was “devastating” and alleged that emails confirmed him discussing the bribes with Martinez and Lopez in coded phrases.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 employees and is printed from a syndicated information company feed)
