US Asks Supreme Court To Drop Appeal In High-Profile FIFA Bribery Case

The US Department of Justice has asked the Supreme Court to dismiss its effort to preserve convictions arising from the FIFA corruption scandal, withdrawing its appeal of verdicts against former Fox executive Hernan Lopez and Argentine sports marketing firm Full Play.

What Prosecutors Said

In a filing to the Supreme Court on Tuesday, prosecutors said they no longer intend to continue the appeal and asked that the case be returned to a lower court for formal dismissal. The filing described dismissal as being done "in the interests of justice," but provided no further explanation.

Background And Timeline

Lopez and Full Play were convicted in March 2023 of paying bribes to secure lucrative television rights for international football officials. Those convictions were later overturned on appeal, and then reinstated in July. At trial, Lopez faced charges including money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy and a potential sentence of up to 40 years in prison along with substantial fines.

Broader Context

The prosecutions were part of a sweeping 2015 DOJ investigation into corruption in international football that produced multiple cases and helped spur the downfall of longtime FIFA president Sepp Blatter. During the trial, US courts heard that the kickback scheme mainly benefited several powerful South American football figures, including former CONMEBOL president Nicolas Leoz, former Argentine executive Julio Grondona and former Brazilian football chief Ricardo Teixeira.

"I'm grateful the truth prevailed, and I'm also confident more of that truth will come out," Lopez, who holds US and Argentine citizenship, wrote on X after prosecutors moved to drop the appeal.

Political And Sporting Fallout

The decision comes amid broader controversy in Washington: President Donald Trump has granted pardons to several defendants convicted of corruption-related offenses, and in February ordered the Justice Department to pause enforcement of a long-standing US anti-bribery law that bars American companies from bribing foreign officials to win business. While court documents do not suggest Trump's involvement in the FIFA cases, those developments have fueled debate over the handling of corruption prosecutions.

The timing is notable as the United States prepares to co-host the FIFA World Cup with Canada and Mexico next year. FIFA president Gianni Infantino recently awarded Donald Trump the governing body's inaugural "peace prize," a move that drew attention amid the lingering scandal.