Fifa bribery case: One ex-Fox employee convicted and another acquitted

A former Fox executive was convicted Thursday of paying tens of millions of dollars in bribes to nab broadcasting rights to the World Cup and other top soccer matches. A second ex-executive was acquitted.

A Brooklyn federal jury deliberated four days before returning the verdicts. Hernan Lopez, the former CEO of Fox International Channels, was convicted. Carlos Martinez, who headed the Latin America affiliate, was acquitted.

Prosecutors said the case revealed the corruption of international soccer. Defense lawyers said the former Fox execs were framed by an admitted criminal who was trying to minimize his own punishment.

An emotional Lopez hugged supporters in the courtroom after hearing the verdict, while his attorneys appeared stunned. The judge allowed him to be released on bail pending sentencing.

John Gleeson, an attorney for Lopez, asserted there were “legal and factual errors”.

“We look forward to vindicating our client on appeal,” he said.

Martinez’s lawyer, Steve McCool, said “justice was served today for Carlos.”

“The jurors heard that he was an innocent man, and that he should never have been here in the first place,” McCool said outside court.

A South American sports media and marketing company also was convicted of graft allegations – involving different TV rights. Full Play Group SA, incorporated in Uruguay, was accused of paying bribes for the rights to the Copa America, a quadrennial national team competition, as well as to World Cup qualifying matches.

New York-based Fox Corp, which split from a subsidiary of international channels during a restructuring in 2019, was not charged and has denied any involvement in the bribery scandal.

Lopez and Martinez are among dozens of people who have pleaded guilty or