Ex-FIFA vice president pleads not guilty in corruption case

By foxsports
Published

NEW YORK (AP) A former FIFA vice president has pleaded not guilty in New York to bribery and other charges related to a sprawling corruption case.

An attorney for Alfredo Hawit entered the plea during an appearance Wednesday in Brooklyn federal court.

The 64-year-old Honduras native was interim president of the North and Central American and Caribbean governing body CONCACAF from June until his Dec. 3 arrest in Switzerland.

Prosecutors charge that in return for hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes, he and other top CONCACAF officials awarded marketing rights to the Gold Cup and other events. They say after charges in the $200 million global case became public, Hawit instructed co-defendants to hide bribes and lie to federal investigators.

Hawit will appear in court again Thursday.