NEW YORK (AP) - The Latest on the New York trial of three former South American soccer officials (all times local):
3:05 p.m.
A defense lawyer says there’s more incriminating evidence against government cooperators than there is against three former South American soccer officials charged in New York in a corruption scandal.
Attorney John Pappalardo spoke Wednesday in closing arguments at the Manhattan trial. He says there is “not one penny” in bribe money prosecutors could trace to his client, Juan Angel Napout, of Paraguay.
A prosecutor says the defendants failed to protect the interests of the sport’s governing bodies.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin Mace said in closing arguments the three soccer officials took millions of dollars in bribes in exchange for help winning lucrative commercial rights to the FIFA (FEE’-fuh) World Cup and other tournaments.
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11:30 a.m.
A New York prosecutor says three former South American soccer officials charged in a corruption scandal failed to protect the interests of the sport’s governing bodies.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristin Mace said in closing arguments at their trial Wednesday that the three took millions in bribes in exchange for help winning lucrative commercial rights to the FIFA (FEE’-fuh) World Cup and other tournaments.
The ex-presidents of national soccer federations in Paraguay, Peru and Brazil deny the accusations.
The trial has seen a juror dismissed for sleeping, a defendant accused of threatening a witness by running his fingers across his throat in a slicing motion and surprise testimony by one of the Jonas Brothers.
Mace says marketing firms knew that “to get a contract signed, they had to pay.”
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12:05 a.m.
Closing arguments are set to take place in the New York trial of three former South American soccer officials charged in the corruption scandal engulfing the sport’s governing body.
Ex-presidents of national soccer federations in Paraguay, Peru and Brazil have denied accusations they participated in a vast conspiracy involving tens of millions of dollars in bribes paid in exchange for help winning lucrative commercial rights to the FIFA (FEE’-fuh) World Cup and other tournaments.
The trial has seen a juror dismissed for sleeping, a defendant accused of threatening a witness by running his fingers across his throat in a slicing motion and surprise testimony by a former member of the Jonas Brothers.
Prosecutors rested their case Tuesday. The defense chose not to put on a case. Closing arguments are set to begin Wednesday morning.
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