Former Honduran president pleads guilty in FIFA corruption case
Rafael Callejas has pleaded guilty to charges brought by United States authorities relating to his participation in FIFA bribery schemes.
Rafael Callejas, the former president of the Honduran Football Federation (FENAFUTH), has pleaded guilty to his part in bribery schemes at FIFA that is under investigation by United States authorities.
Callejas, who served as president of FENAFUTH from 2002 to 2015, pleaded guilty to charges of racketeering conspiracy and wire fraud conspiracy at the federal court in Brooklyn, New York.
The charges are in connection to his receipt of bribes in exchange for the awarding of contracts for the media and marketing rights to FIFA World Cup qualifying matches.
According to court filings and facts presented during the plea proceeding, Callejas negotiated and accepted bribes worth hundreds of thousands of dollars to award contracts for the media and marketing rights to the Honduran national team's home World Cup qualifier matches for the 2014, 2018 and 2022 editions.
Callejas, who served as the president of Honduras from 1990 to 1994, faces a maximum sentence of 20 years for each count and has agreed to forfeit $650,000.
The guilty plea is part of an ongoing U.S. investigation into corruption in world football's governing body.