NEW YORK: The ongoing FIFAGate trial in New York has heard more evidence from millionaire Brazilian businessman Jose Hawilla about the bribes he paid to Ricardo Teixeira, Jose Maria Marin and Marco Polo del Nero.
The trio were successive presidents of the Brazilian football confederation (CBF) and Del Nero remains in place despite having been indicted by the United States Justice Department two years. He cannot be extradited from Brazil and refuses to travel abroad in self-protection.
Marin, Juan Angel Napout from Paraguay and Manuel Burga from Peru are the three former domestic football bosses pleading not guilty to charges of corruption in the wide-ranging FIFAGate investigation.
Hawilla was wired for secret recordings after agreeing a plea bargain with the FBI over how he had authorised his media giant, Traffic, to pay bribes for rights to football competitions in Brazil and South America.
According to Hawilla, Traffic and Klefer, a group owned by businessman Kleber Leite, a former president of Flamengo, signed a contract in 2012 for Copa Brasil rights after agreeing to share bribes between Del Nero, Marin and Teixeira.
Teixeira received twice the sums paid to the other two.
The trial is ongoing.
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