Brooklyn Judge Dismisses Case Against Former Fox Exec

A federal judge in Brooklyn has dismissed the criminal case against a former Fox executive and a South American sports marketing company, ending a nearly decade-long U.S. prosecution over alleged bribes for international soccer broadcast rights. U.S. District Judge Pamela K. Chen granted the government's request to drop the charges against Hernan Lopez, the former CEO of Fox International Channels, and Argentine firm Full Play Group SA on Wednesday.

The dismissal follows a protracted legal battle that began with a 2015 criminal probe. In March 2023, a jury convicted Lopez and Full Play of engaging in a scheme involving tens of millions of dollars in bribes to secure television rights for tournaments including the Copa Libertadores and World Cup qualifiers. Judge Chen later granted a post-trial acquittal that same year, but a federal appeals court reversed that decision and reinstated the convictions in July 2025, leading to further appeals.

Prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York told the court the Justice Department would no longer devote resources to pursuing the case. In a March 12 letter, the government described the decision as a...