One Fox employee convicted in Fifa bribery case, another acquitted
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Brooklyn: In the Fifa bribery case, a former Fox executive was convicted on Thursday and another was acquitted. A federal jury deliberated over four days before the verdict.
The former CEO of Fox International Channels Hernan Lopez was convicted of paying tens of millions of dollars in bribes to nab broadcasting rights to the World Cup and other top soccer matches. Carlos Martinez, who headed the Latin America affiliate, was acquitted, reported The Guardian.
Attorney John Gleeson said there were "legal and factual errors'' and the team is looking forward to "vindicating our client on appeal." Steve McCool who appeared for Martinez said that justice was served. "The jurors heard that he was an innocent man, and that he should never have been here in the first place."
The judge allowed Lopez to be released on bail pending sentencing. Defense lawyers said the executives were framed by an admitted criminal who is trying to minimise his own punishment. The star witness is the executives’ former business associate Alejandro Burzaco who has cooperated in soccer corruption investigations since his arrest in 2015 in a related bribery case.
A South American sports media and marketing company Full Play Group SA was also was convicted of graft allegations – involving different TV rights. New York-based Fox Corp was not charged.