Although soccer officials have pleaded not guilty, prosecution says we are in ongoing plea discussions with several of these defendants
Several defendants in a wide-ranging corruption case involving soccers global governing body Fifa are in talks on possible guilty pleas, a US prosecutor said on Monday.
Assistant US attorney Evan Norris spoke in a court hearing in Brooklyn federal court after US district judge Pamela Chen set a 6 November 2017 trial date for seven former soccer officials and one former marketing executive.
All eight have pleaded not guilty, but Norris said: We are in ongoing plea discussions with several of these defendants.
The eight defendants are among the 42 individuals and entities charged so far in a case that has rocked the soccer world and Zurich-based Fifa.
US prosecutors accuse the defendants of participating in schemes involving more than $200m in bribes and kickbacks, both sought and received by soccer officials for marketing and broadcast rights to tournaments and matches.
To date, 16 people and two sports marketing companies have pleaded guilty.
The eight defendants facing the potential trial next year include former Fifa officials and executive committee members Jos Mara Marin of Brazil, Juan ngel Napout of Paraguay, Eduardo Li of Costa Rica, and Julio Rocha Lpez of Nicaragua.
Others include Miami-based sports marketing executive Aaron Davidson, Hctor Trujillo, a judge from Guatemala and ex-official with its soccer federation, ex-Cayman Islands soccer official Costas Takkas, and ex-Venezuelan soccer official Rafael Esquivel.
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/sep/19/fifa-football-corruption-plea-deal
