Fifagate: The Jinkis plead guilty and lose $50 million

Hugo Jinkis and his son Mariano pleaded guilty before a New York federal court, acknowledging their participation in paying bribes to international football officials on behalf of their Argentine company Full Play, which specializes in sports marketing and audiovisual rights.

The two men reached an agreement with American prosecutors: in exchange for dropping fraud charges, they formally admit their involvement in the corruption scheme and accept the confiscation of $50 million. According to court documents, the bribes paid amounted to tens of millions of dollars.

The purpose of this scheme was to ensure Full Play access to particularly lucrative contracts, notably the broadcasting rights for World Cup qualifying matches and Copa America matches. These practices were part of a broader network involving several South American and international football figures.

These admissions represent a new development in the Fifagate case, the scandal that erupted in 2015 when American authorities uncovered a vast corruption system involving FIFA officials and several continental confederations. Arrests followed, convictions were handed down, and the crisis contributed to weakening the position of FIFA president at the time, Sepp Blatter.

More than a decade after the initial revelations, the case continues to produce judicial consequences. The Jinkis’ admissions could help American justice better map how the system operated and identify intermediaries not yet implicated. They also highlight the colossal financial stakes tied to international football broadcasting rights, which for years fueled this corruption network.