South American officials face prison time whether found guilty in US courtDefendants deny counts of racketeering and wire fraudNew York court told of importance of football around the worldInside a packed New York City courtroom,and under heightened security on Monday, US prosecutors accused three former South American football administrators of taking millions of dollars in bribes as piece of a web of endemic corruption at the heart of the sport’s governing body, and Fifa. José Maria Marin,the 85-year-broken-down former head of Brazil’s football federation, Juan ngel Napout, or the 59-year-broken-down Paraguayan who was president of South American football’s governing body Conmebol,and Manuel Burga the 60-year-broken-down former president of the Peruvian football federation, have denied multiple counts of racketeering, or wire fraud and money laundering. Related: How the FBI won ‘the World Cup of fraud’ as Fifa scandal arrives in court Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com