URGENT UPDATE: Federal prosecutors in New York have just announced the dismissal of charges against Hernan Lopez, a former employee of Fox, implicated in the FIFA bribery scandal. This pivotal decision ends a lengthy legal battle over broadcasting rights for the World Cup and other major soccer events.
In a groundbreaking move, the Justice Department cited “the interests of justice” as the reason for this dismissal, recommending that the Supreme Court reverse an appeals court’s previous decision to uphold Lopez’s convictions. The announcement, made on Tuesday, clears Lopez and the Argentine sports media rights company, Full Play Group, of serious charges that included money laundering and conspiracy linked to the scandal.
Lopez was initially convicted in 2024 by a jury in Brooklyn, found guilty of paying tens of millions of dollars in bribes to secure broadcasting rights for international soccer tournaments. Full Play Group faced additional counts tied to the scandal, complicating their legal position. Earlier this year, a federal appeals court ordered that the convictions be reinstated, leading to a fierce legal tug-of-war.
In a letter to U.S. District Judge Pamela Chen, who presided over the case, Joseph Nocella, the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, expressed that the charges should be dropped “in the interests of justice.” The Solicitor General’s Office echoed this sentiment in a filing to the Supreme Court, urging the dismissal of the case while pushing for a review of the appeals court’s reversal.
This abrupt shift in the case has significant implications for the ongoing scrutiny of corruption within FIFA and the broader impacts on international sports broadcasting rights. With the Biden administration’s Justice Department now pivoting away from pursuing these charges, it raises questions about the future of similar legal strategies against sports corruption.
As this story develops, it’s crucial to watch for reactions from Lopez’s legal team and Full Play Group. CBS News has reached out for comments, but there has been no immediate response from Lopez’s representatives, and lawyers for Full Play Group have declined to comment.
Stay tuned as we continue to follow this unfolding situation and its ramifications in the world of sports and media. This dismissal marks a significant moment in the ongoing narrative of corruption and accountability in high-stakes sports broadcasting.
