June 10 – The hunt for the missing sports marketing executives wanted for questioning by the FBI in the US in relation to alleged bribes to win and retain commercial and broadcast rights to major championships has flushed out one more, Alejandro Burzaco, who has handed himself in to police in Italy.
Burzaco, who was president of Argentine agency Torneos y Competencias, is named in the US indictment that saw seven CONMEBOL and CONCACAF officials and associates arrested in Zurich May 27 at their hotels prior to the FIFA Congress.
Burzaco is believed to have been in Zurich as well but when police raided his room he evaded arrest as he was having breakfast.
Interpol had issued a ‘red notice’ for his arrest. A red notice is not an international arrest warrant but notifies that an arrest warrant has been issued for the person requesting arrest and extradition – it is up to the local jurisdiction as to whether the individual is arrested or not.
Burzaco is accused of paying up to $110 million in bribes by the US Department of Justice for marketing contracts to federation and confederation officials in the Americas.
Burzaco, who also has Italian citizenship, walked into a police station in Borzano in northern Italy with his lawyers. He is currently being held there, according to Spanish news agency Efe.
In Argentina a judge had ordered his arrest after the US issued the indictments and had said that Burzaco and the still missing Hugo and Mariano Jinkis would be considered as fugitives if they did not hand themselves in.
Still missing is Brazilian José Margulies who was controlling principal of broadcasting businesses Valente Corp and Somerton Ltd. In the US, Traffic Sports USA executive Aaron Davidson was arrested but has pleaded not guilty and has been released on bail.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1734848409labto1734848409ofdlr1734848409owedi1734848409sni@n1734848409osloh1734848409cin.l1734848409uap1734848409