Argentine Executives Admit to Bribery in FIFA Corruption Scandal

Argentine sports marketing executives Hugo Jinkis and Mariano Jinkis have acknowledged their role in a bribery scheme to obtain lucrative football broadcasting rights.

The father and son, co-owners of the Argentine sports marketing company Full Play, made the admissions during a hearing before a federal court in New York. This acknowledgment is part of an agreement with U.S. prosecutors that allows them to avoid a trial. The agreement also involves the confiscation of $50 million from the Jinkis family.

According to court documents, the Jinkis family orchestrated a system of corruption, paying tens of millions of dollars in bribes to football officials. These payments were intended to secure their support in obtaining media and commercial rights for various football tournaments, including World Cup qualifiers and the Copa America.

Their admissions stem from the extensive Fifagate investigation, which erupted in 2015 and shook the foundations of global football governance, including FIFA and continental confederations in South and North America. The U.S. investigation led to numerous arrests, trials, and guilty pleas, significantly impacting the sport's leadership, most notably leading to the downfall of FIFA President Sepp Blatter.