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Justice Department Moves to Drop Soccer TV Rights Corruption Case, Seeks Supreme Court Remand

Prosecutors say ending the Hernan Lopez and Full Play prosecutions serves the interests of justice, with a New York judge now poised to consider dismissal.

Overview

  • In a Supreme Court filing, the government asked to abandon its effort to preserve the convictions and requested the case be sent back to district court to consider dismissal.
  • The U.S. attorney in Brooklyn separately told U.S. District Judge Pamela Chen the charges should be dismissed in the interests of justice.
  • Hernan Lopez and Full Play were convicted after a Brooklyn trial, later won a judge-ordered acquittal, and then had those convictions reinstated by an appeals court in July.
  • Prosecutors did not elaborate on their rationale, and the lower court will determine whether the indictments are formally dropped.
  • Coverage notes a shifting legal and policy environment following recent Supreme Court decisions and Trump administration enforcement changes; Fox Corp. was not charged and denies involvement.