U.S. District Judge Pamela Chen on Wednesday agreed to dismiss charges against former Fox International Channels CEO Hernan Lopez and Full Play Group SA in a “corruption case related to TV rights for international soccer tournaments.” Chen accepted an explanation provided by U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella Jr. that the prosecution of Lopez “‘doesn’t fit within’ the Trump administration’s prosecutorial priorities.” Lopez told reporters that he was “relieved that ‘a case that never should have started is finally over.’” Lopez and the sports media company in 2023 were convicted in a trial in N.Y. of “paying tens of millions of dollars in bribes to nab broadcasting rights to the World Cup and other top soccer matches.” But they were “subsequently granted an acquittal by Chen.” Chen during Wednesday’s hearing said that she was “not basing her decision to dismiss the indictment ‘in any way’ on her prior decision granting the acquittal” (AP, 5/27).
Judge drops case against ex-Fox exec Hernan Lopez
