FIFA bribery case: Manuel Burga acquitted of corruption charge

New York [U.S], Dec 27 (ANI): Former South American soccer official Manuel Burga was acquitted of a corruption charge, originated from the FIFA bribery scandal.

Jurors found the 60-year-old former president of Peru's soccer federation not guilty of a single racketeering conspiracy charge. Burga wept when the acquittal was announced, reported The Guardian.

Earlier on Friday, jurors told US district court Judge Pamela Chen that they had made no progress but had reached guilty verdicts on multiple charges against two other former officials - Juan Napout, of Paraguay, and Jose Maria Marin, of Brazil.

The duo Marin, 85, and Napout, 59, were sent to jail after their convictions on Friday.

Marin, Burga and Napout had been arrested in 2015. Prosecutors accused them of agreeing to take millions of dollars in bribes from businessmen seeking to lock up profitable media rights or influence hosting rights for the World Cup and other major tournaments controlled by FIFA.

Burga was the first person to be acquitted among the more than 40 people charged in the field of soccer world over, in the US in connection with an investigation that uncovered hundreds of millions of dollars in bribes and kickbacks. Out of them, 24 pleaded guilty in addition to the two convictions Friday.(ANI)