(ATR) Authorities in Paraguay raided the South American Football Confederation headquarters on Friday in relation to the U.S. and Swiss investigations into corruption at FIFA.
State prosecutors say they were "searching for documentation related to the granting of commercial and broadcast rights for sporting events" at the offices located near the Paraguayan capital Asuncion.
However, a lawyer for CONMEBOL doesn’t agree with the decision to raid the headquarters, calling the act "irresponsible".
"It is very strange. We have been cooperating with the judicial authorities of the United States, Uruguay and Paraguay," said Alfredo Montanaro.
The raid follows the extradition of former CONMEBOL president Juan Angel Napout to the U.S. in December. Napout was one of 16 FIFA officials indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice on allegations of bribery and racketeering on Dec. 3.
Fellow former CONMEBOL presidents Nicolas Leoz and Eugenio Figueredo were indicted in the first DOJ report in May, charged with taking bribes in exchange for exclusive rights for major events.
CONMEBOL voided the commercial rights of Datisa for the Copa America tournaments in 2015, 2019 and 2023 as well as the special edition 2016 Cententario tournament in October that were gained through illicit means.
Datisa was established by officials from marketing agencies Torneos y Competencias, Traffic and Full Play Sports. Executives at Traffic and Torneos y Competencias were also named in the DOJ indictments.
The rights were resold in December to marketing agency IMG and Soccer United Marketing, a company operated by Major League Soccer in the U.S. The Copa America Cententario in 2016 will be staged in 10 cities across the U.S.
Bail Agreement Reached for Trujillo
Former general secretary of the Guatemalan Football Association and Guatemalan judge Hector Trujillo cannot escape a 50 mile perimeter of the Brooklyn, New York courthouse that’s heading the investigation into FIFA corruption.
Trujillo will wear an electronic monitor as part of his bail agreement set by a U.S. judge on Thursday. His bond is set at $4 million that will be secured by friends and relatives with cash and real estate.
The Guatemalan football official was indicted on Dec. 3 along with 15 other former FIFA officials and marketing company executives. Trujillo was taken into custody while on a cruise ship docked in Florida.
He will reside in New Jersey during his house arrest.
Written by KevinNutley
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