Former World Cup referee arrested in NYC

By foxsports
Published

A former soccer referee involved in a World Cup controversy has been charged in New York City with smuggling heroin.

Federal prosecutors said Tuesday that Byron Moreno of Ecuador was caught at Kennedy airport with bags of the drug taped to his body.

Moreno enraged Italian fans in 2002 when he ejected an Italian player in an overtime loss to South Korea in a World Cup match. He resigned as a referee in 2003.

A judge jailed Moreno without bail at a hearing on Monday. There was no immediate response to a message left with his attorney.