FIFA corruption trial: Jury impanelled in 'really important case'

• by Paul Kennedy  @pkedit, Nov 10, 2017

Almost two and a half years after the first indictments, the FIFA corruption trial will begin on Monday in the same Brooklyn federal court where the recent NASL v. NASL case was heard.

It follows the impaneling of 12 jurors and six alternates from an initial pool of 200 prospective jurors.

Only three men, all South Americans, will be on trial: Jose Maria Marin, the former president of Brazil’s soccer federation, Paraguayan Juan Angel Napout, the former Conmebol president, and Peruvian Manuel Burga, the former president of his country's soccer federation.

Forty-two soccer officials and sports marketing executives and three companies were indicted, and 24 have pleaded guilty. Others like Trinidadian Jack Warner and Paraguayan Nicolas Leoz -- the former Concacaf and Conmebol presidents -- have fought extradition.

Most jurors told U.S. District Judge Pamela Chen that they knew nothing about soccer, though Courthouse News reported that one juror said she was told it was a "really important case, but in America no one cares. But internationally the case is a huge deal."

The charges include racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, and money laundering conspiracy and carry up to a maximum of 20 years in prison.