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Argentine businessmen Jinkis agree with U.S. justice in FIFAGate, setting precedent for Tapia and Toviggino
🇦🇷 Argentina /Crime & Justice

Argentine businessmen Jinkis agree with U.S. justice in FIFAGate, setting precedent for Tapia and Toviggino

From Clarín · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Sources not specified In the courts
  • Argentine businessmen Hugo and Mariano Jinkis are set to appear before U.S. justice regarding their involvement in the FIFAGate scandal.
  • The father and son, who have been fugitives for over a decade, have reportedly reached an agreement with U.S. prosecutors.
  • This development sets a potential precedent for other Argentine football officials, including AFA president Claudio Tapia, who are under investigation in the U.S.

Argentine businessmen Hugo Jinkis and his son Mariano Jinkis are scheduled to face U.S. justice on Thursday, marking a significant step in the long-running FIFAGate scandal. The father and son have been fugitives for over a decade since their indictment in a case opened in New York.

Prosecutors in the Eastern District of New York have informed Judge Pamela Chen of their intention to address the charges against the Jinkis, who reside abroad. This proposed resolution follows a similar agreement made by former TyC executive Alejandro Burzaco, potentially paving the way for other Argentine football officials facing scrutiny.

The Jinkis' situation is seen as a potential scenario for AFA president Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia and treasurer Pablo Toviggino, who are reportedly under investigation in Miami for alleged money laundering. The case in Florida awaits testimony from former AFA marketing executive Leandro Petersen, who is also reportedly negotiating a deal.

a resolution of the charges against the defendants

— New York Eastern District Prosecutor's OfficeReferring to the proposed agreement with the Jinkis.

Hugo and Mariano Jinkis, owners of the marketing firm Full Play, were accused in 2015 of participating in a bribery scheme involving officials from CONMEBOL and CONCACAF. They allegedly paid bribes in exchange for broadcasting and marketing rights for various football events. U.S. authorities anticipate the Jinkis will waive their right to a grand jury indictment and face charges for commercial bribery, though they are expected to plead not guilty.

Part of the agreements includes a "statement of facts" to which the Jinkis have reportedly agreed. This statement indicates they used the U.S. financial system to transfer tens of millions of dollars in contracts, though the football organizations ultimately received less. The Jinkis surrendered to Argentine authorities in June 2015 and were initially detained pending extradition to the U.S., but were later released under certain conditions.

have shown their conformity with the information contained

— Statement of FactsIndicating the Jinkis' agreement with the factual basis of the charges.
About this summary

Originally published by Clarín in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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