A FIFA match agent and soccer consultant pleaded guilty Tuesday to one count of money laundering conspiracy and two counts of wire fraud conspiracy for multiple schemes to bribe soccer officials.
Miguel Trujillo also pleaded guilty to one count of filing a false tax return.
During an appearance in federal court in Brooklyn, he agreed to forfeit $495,000.
Trujillo, 65, a Colombia citizen and U.S. legal permanent resident, was a Florida-based soccer consultant. He was licensed by FIFA as a match agent to negotiate and arrange soccer matches between FIFA member associations.
Starting in 2008, Trujillo paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes to high-ranking officials of FIFA, CONCACAF, and four soccer federations in Central America and the Caribbean.
The bribes were intended to win media and marketing contracts and the rights to stage international friendly matches.
The DOJ has charged 42 defendants in the FIFA corruption prosecution. More than a dozen individuals and a sports marketing company have pleaded guilty.
Under a 92-count superseding indictment unsealed in December, most of the defendants were charged with racketeering, wire fraud, and money laundering conspiracies. They face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
_____
Richard L. Cassin is the publisher and editor of the FCPA Blog. He can be contacted here.
Comments are closed for this article!