US prosecutors seek to abandon soccer TV rights corruption case

NEW YORK (AP) – After a yearslong legal battle, U.S. prosecutors told the Supreme Court on Tuesday that they want to give up their fight to preserve the convictions of a former Fox executive and South American sports media company in a corruption case related to TV rights for international soccer tournaments.

Hernan Lopez, ex-CEO of Fox International Channels, and Full Play Group SA were convicted in 2023 after a trial in New York but subsequently granted an acquittal by a judge. An appeals court reinstated the convictions in July, but additional appeals followed and the fate of the prosecution had been uncertain.

Prosecutors told the Supreme Court the government has now determined that “dismissal of this criminal case is in the interests of justice,” though they did not expand on their rationale. They asked for the case to be sent back to a lower court so it can consider a motion to dismiss the indictment.

Lopez said in a statement that he was grateful for the move to dismiss the charges and looking forward to putting the matter behind him.

“The charges were baseless from the start, and I have fought for five years to clear my name,” Lopez said.

Attorneys who have represented Full Play did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Lopez and Full Play were among dozens accused by U.S. investigators in a yearslong investigation into international soccer and its governing federation, FIFA. The probe burst into view in 2015, when U.S. prosecutors accused officials in multiple soccer federations of taking $150 million in bribes and payoffs.

During Lopez’s trial, witnesses said he was one of a number of executives who orchestrated bribes to officials at CONMEBOL, the governing body for soccer in South America, that helped Fox get broadcasting rights to the Copa Libertadores South American club championship. Bribes arranged by Lopez also helped Fox obtain confidential information about bids for rights to the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tournaments, prosecutors aid.

In recent years, though, a U.S. Supreme Court ruling has made it more difficult to secure certain types of corruption convictions. President Donald Trump’s administration has also overhauled its approach to fighting graft.

The federal government has moved this year to slash a section of Justice Department prosecutors responsible for pursing cases of fraud and corruption against public officials. Trump previously paused a statute that prohibits people or companies operating in the U.S. from giving money or gifts to officials in other countries to win or retain deals.

The U.S. is set to host the 2026 World Cup along with Canada and Mexico. Trump, a Republican, has a close relationship with FIFA President Gianni Infantino, and last week was awarded a new FIFA peace prize.

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

This story has been corrected to show that Trump was awarded the new FIFA peace prize last week, not this week.