SOCCER-FIFA/ARGENTINA-JINKIS Argentines sought by U.S. in FIFA scandal surrender in Buenos Aires

Record ID: 153220

  • Title: SOCCER-FIFA/ARGENTINA-JINKIS Argentines sought by U.S. in FIFA scandal surrender in Buenos Aires
  • Date: 18th June 2015
  • Summary: HUGO JINKIS' LAWYER, JORGE ANZORREGUY TALKING ON PHONE
  • Embargoed: 3rd July 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Argentina
  • Country: Argentina
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA49170ITHPAX6YPXB2VNE4QXNB
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Argentine businessmen Hugo and Mariano Jinkis, who are wanted by U.S. prosecutors as part of the FIFA bribery investigation, turned themselves in to authorities in Buenos Aires on Thursday (June 18), a lawyer for one of the men said.
    Hugo Jinkis, 70, and his son, 40, were among 14 current and former FIFA officials and corporate executives indicted in the United States last month on charges of racketeering and corruption that rocked the soccer world.
    U.S. prosecutors say the two men, together with Argentine Alejandro Burzaco, conspired to win and keep lucrative media rights contracts from regional soccer by paying tens of millions of dollars in bribes.
    Burzaco surrendered to police in northern Italy last week.
    When asked what would happen next, Hugo Jinkis' lawyer, Jorge Anzorreguy, told reporters they were waiting for documentation to be sent from U.S..
    "The procedure is the reading of the act, in which they tell us that they [U.S. authorities] have solicited their detention and they will being waiting for the documentation from the United States. They have a specific time period to send the documentation and we will proceed from there," said Anzorreguy.
    It was not immediately clear whether Jinkis and his son would face immediate demands for their extradition to the United States.
    "We are going to find out what the Argentine judge and the Argentine authorities have to say in respect to the extradition to see what we will do," explained the lawyer, speaking outside the courthouse in downtown Buenos Aires.
    As to whether 70 -year-old Hugo Jinkis would be put under house arrest, Anzorreguy said that it would be a possibility within Argentine law, given his client's age and heath status.
    "[REPORTER ASKS ABOUT POSSIBILITY OF HOUSE ARREST FOR HUGO JINKIS] Argentine law has a provision for people of a certain age and with heart problems or heath problems and that could apply [to Hugo Jinkis]. [REPORTER ASKS: ARE YOU GOING TO ASK FOR HOUSE ARREST?] We are going to see what he [Hugo] says and then we will decide," he said.
    The Argentine tax authority has denounced all three Argentine suspects for "tax evasion, illicit fiscal association and money laundering".
    Burzaco was president of Argentine sports marketing firm Torneos y Competencias (Torneos), when he was charged. Hugo and Mariano Jinkis are controlling principals of Full Play, another sports media and marketing business headquartered in Argentina.
    The indictment states that Burzaco and the Jinkis's led their companies to form a new entity known as Datisa.
    Datisa entered into a $317.5 million contract with CONMEBOL to obtain exclusive worldwide rights to the 2015, 2019 and 2023 Copa America tournaments, according to the indictment.
    Datisa later entered into a $35 million contract with the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football, CONCACAF, to acquire rights for another tournament, the Copa America Centenario.
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