• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to secondary sidebar
MENUMENU
  • About
  • Send News Tips

Media Moves

Covering Latinos in the Media Industry

MENUMENU
  • Home
  • About
  • Send News Tips
  • People
  • TV & Radio
  • Programming
  • Print
  • Digital
  • Job Board
  • Archives
Hernan Lopez

Jury in FIFA bribery case finds former Fox execs Hernan López guilty, acquits Carlos Martínez

March 9, 2023 by Veronica Villafañe Leave a Comment

A federal jury in New York today found Hernan López, former CEO of Fox International Channels and founder of podcast startup Wondery, acquired by Amazon in 2021 in a $300 million-dollar deal, guilty of paying tens of millions of dollars to score the broadcasting rights for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups and other soccer matches, giving the company the edge to beat rival ESPN.

The allegations stemmed from a U.S.-led investigation of FIFA bribery schemes and corruption revealed in 2015.

Former Fox International Channels Latin America President Carlos Martínez was acquitted.

Both men had denied participating in any illegal conduct.

According to a Reuters story, jurors saw emails, contracts and business records showing what prosecutors say exposed the former Fox execs’ multi-year scheme of channeling payments to soccer officials through fraudulent contracts and consulting agreements.

López and Martínez’s lawyers argued a former associate of the men, Argentine businessman Alejandro Burzaco, who had pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy and was a witness in the trial, falsely accused the former Fox execs to try to secure a “lighter sentence under his plea agreement with prosecutors.” Burzaco’s lawyer denied the claim.

Uruguayan sports marketing company Full Play Group SA, accused of paying bribes for TV rights to the Copa America and World Cup qualifying games, was also convicted.

ESPN reported Lopez’s attorneys “appeared stunned” at the ruling, and that the judge allowed López to be released on bail while awaiting sentencing.

Filed Under: People Tagged With: Carlos Martinez, Hernán López

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Veronica Villafañe, Editor & Publisher

Emmy award-winning journalist and former president of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ). Currently a reporter for Voice of America, she has worked as an on-air reporter, anchor, writer and producer for Spanish and English-language TV, print and online media, including Univision, Telemundo, Fox 11 News in L.A. and the San Jose Mercury News.

Hispanic media and entertainment contributor to Forbes.

Full bio here
Maria Elena Ponticiello

Meteorologist María Elena Ponticiello joins Univision Chicago

March 16, 2023

Annabelle Sedano

Annabelle Sedano crosses over from Univision 34 to NBC4 as weekday anchor

March 15, 2023

Samuel Belilty

News director Samuel Belilty out at Univision 23

March 15, 2023

Hernan Lopez

Jury in FIFA bribery case finds former Fox execs Hernan López guilty, acquits Carlos Martínez

March 9, 2023

Veronika Moroian

Veronika Moroian promoted to President and GM at KMEX

March 8, 2023

VIEW ALL ARTICLES

Secondary Sidebar

Media Moves is a mission-driven digital publication aimed at raising the visibility of Latinos in the media. Since its inception in 2007, the site has covered thousands of stories. To keep moving forward, we need your help. That’s why we launched a crowdfunding campaign.

Learn more about why Media Moves needs your support here.

You can contribute to the campaign clicking the button below.

SUPPORT MEDIA MOVES
Get the week’s stories in your inbox. The Media Moves Wrap newsletter is sent Friday mornings.
SUBSCRIBE
Veronica Villafañe, Editor & Publisher

Emmy award-winning journalist and former president of the National Association of Hispanic Journalists (NAHJ). Currently a reporter for Voice of America, she has worked as an on-air reporter, anchor, writer and producer for Spanish and English-language TV, print and online media, including Univision, Telemundo, Fox 11 News in L.A. and the San Jose Mercury News.

Hispanic media and entertainment contributor to Forbes.

Full bio here
Copyright © 2023 Media Moves · All Rights Reserved | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy