A Controversial Decision
A federal judge in Brooklyn has dismissed the criminal case against Hernan Lopez, the former chief executive of Fox International Channels, who was convicted in a high‑profile soccer‑corruption prosecution.
Prosecutors argued that the indictment no longer fit within the Trump administration’s evolving priorities, which now emphasize terrorism, narcotics trafficking, human trafficking and violent gangs over foreign corruption schemes.
Lopez, who had served time in a Miami federal prison, expressed relief that the case, which he maintained never should have been brought, is finally closed, while his co‑defendant Full Play Group SA also saw its convictions reinstated before being called into question.
The decision follows an appeals court’s July ruling that revived the convictions, only to be followed by further appeals that ultimately led to the dismissal, a move that FIFA has said will not affect other ongoing cases.
FIFA, which has partnered with the U.S. Department of Justice for years to root out corruption in football, welcomed the outcome, noting that the organization continues to cooperate with law‑enforcement agencies worldwide.
The settlement of $201 million that the U.S. government previously transferred to FIFA and other soccer bodies remains intact, underscoring the financial dimensions of the broader anti‑corruption effort.