Argentina Probes Sports Media Bosses Indicted In FIFA Scandal

FIFA officials (LtoR, from upper row) Rafael Esquivel, Nicolas Leoz, Jeffrey Webb, Jack Warner, Eduardo Li, Eugenio Figueredo and Jose Maria Marin. The seven men are among several soccer officials arrested, suspected of receiving bribes worth millions of dollars. Picture: AFP

The Argentine government said on Thursday a judge was examining U.S. extradition requests for three businessmen named in a corruption scandal engulfing world soccer, adding it would recover taxes on any illegal income earned by the trio.

The U.S. Justice Department alleges Alejandro Burzaco, Hugo Jinkis and his son Mariano Jinkis, all Argentine citizens, conspired to win and keep hold of lucrative media rights contracts from regional soccer federations in exchange for US$110 million in bribes.

At least US$40 million had been paid to date, the U.S. Justice Department's indictment showed.

Reuters report continues:

Burzaco is president of Argentine sports marketing firm Torneos y Competencias, while Hugo and Mariano Jinkis are controlling principals of Full Play, another sports media and marketing business headquartered in Argentina.

Cabinet Chief Anibal Fernandez said the extradition petitions had been received from the United States on Wednesday and handed straight to the Argentine law courts.

"An investigation is underway," Fernandez told reporters at a daily briefing.

There were no immediate reports of arrests in the country.

On Wednesday Torneos strongly denied any involvement in corrupt schemes to win contracts.

"Torneos denies any involvement of the company and its president in the allegations," Torneos said in a statement late on Wednesday. "It reaffirms its willingness to cooperate with the judicial authorities in order to shed light on the allegations."

Full Play did not immediately respond to an e-mailed request for comment on the U.S. allegations. Attempts to reach the three indicted men through the companies were unsuccessful.

Worldwide, nine football officials and five sports media and promotion executives faced corruption charges, U.S. authorities said.

Pressure grew on FIFA President Sepp Blatter as the graft scandal rocking world soccer's governing body deepened, with warnings from major sponsors and mounting criticism from Western leaders.

Torneos y Competencias, known better as Torneos, has long been a powerful force in sports media in the South American country.

Fernandez said Argentina's tax authority would pursue any money owed to it.

"Illegal acts also pay taxes and in this case if it is proven that kickbacks were paid then they will have to pay an income tax of 35 percent," Fernandez said.