Federal decide throws out convictions of former Fox government and advertising and marketing group in FIFA case

NEW YORK — A federal decide threw out the convictions of a former Fox government and a South American sports media and advertising and marketing firm within the FIFA bribery investigation, citing a May choice by the U.S. Supreme Court in a case involving an aide to former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

U.S. District Judge Pamela Ok. Chen, who presided over the trial in Brooklyn federal courtroom, granted a movement for an acquittal in a 55-page choice filed Friday evening.

Hernan Lopez, the previous CEO of Fox International Channels, was convicted on March 9 together with the advertising and marketing firm Full Play Group SA of 1 depend every of wire fraud conspiracy and cash laundering conspiracy associated to the Copa Libertadores membership match.

Full Play was convicted of two further counts every of wire fraud conspiracy and cash laundering conspiracy associated to World Cup qualifiers and friendlies and to the Copa América, the continent’s nationwide crew championship.

The Supreme Court in May reversed the wire fraud conspiracy conviction of former Cuomo aide Joseph Percoco, ruling jury directions have been too imprecise.

“The Supreme Court’s latest wire fraud decisions – especially Percoco – and the absence of precedent applying honest services wire fraud to foreign commercial bribery, requires this court to find that (the statute) does not criminalize the conduct alleged in this case and that therefore the evidence at trial was insufficient to sustain defendants’ convictions under that statute,” Chen wrote.

She added: “Defendants’ convictions for money laundering, predicated on their honest services wire fraud convictions, also cannot be sustained. The court therefore grants defendants’ motions to acquit on all counts of conviction.”

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York is reviewing the choice, spokesman John Marzulli mentioned Saturday.

“Our client is grateful for the court’s well-reasoned decision,” Carlos F. Ortiz, a lawyer for Full Play, mentioned in an e mail. “It has been a long journey and we greatly appreciate the court’s complete vindication.”

David Sarratt, a lawyer for Lopez, mentioned in an e mail: “We are obviously pleased with Judge Chen’s thorough and correct decision. We have never stopped believing in our client’s innocence.”

Dozens of individuals have pleaded responsible or been convicted after a U.S.-led investigation into FIFA and worldwide soccer. The probe grew to become public in 2015 when U.S. prosecutors accused the leaders of soccer federations of tarnishing the game for practically a quarter-century by taking $150 million in bribes and payoffs.