AP, New York :
A former marketing executive from Argentina testified Thursday at a U.S. trial that he and his company arranged to pay 30 soccer officials about $160 million in bribes over the course of several years until his arrest in 2015.
Alejandro Burzaco offered the estimate in the case against three former South American soccer officials accused in the sprawling bribery scandal engulfing FIFA, the sport’s governing body.
The 53-year-old witness said on cross-examination he knew when he joined the firm in 2004 that bribes were a cost of doing business when competing for lucrative broadcasting and hosting rights. But, he added, “I didn’t think it would transform into such a dirty business.”
Juan Angel Napout, of Paraguay, Manuel Burga, of Peru, and Jose Maria Marin, of Brazil, have pleaded not guilty to charges they enriched themselves in an international conspiracy involving tens of millions of bribes and spanning more than two decades.
A former marketing executive from Argentina testified Thursday at a U.S. trial that he and his company arranged to pay 30 soccer officials about $160 million in bribes over the course of several years until his arrest in 2015.
Alejandro Burzaco offered the estimate in the case against three former South American soccer officials accused in the sprawling bribery scandal engulfing FIFA, the sport’s governing body.
The 53-year-old witness said on cross-examination he knew when he joined the firm in 2004 that bribes were a cost of doing business when competing for lucrative broadcasting and hosting rights. But, he added, “I didn’t think it would transform into such a dirty business.”
Juan Angel Napout, of Paraguay, Manuel Burga, of Peru, and Jose Maria Marin, of Brazil, have pleaded not guilty to charges they enriched themselves in an international conspiracy involving tens of millions of bribes and spanning more than two decades.
