The football corruption investigations of the U.S. Department of Justice indicated that former Brazilian Football Federation (CBF) President José Maria Marin, one of Wednesday's arrested FIFA execs, "shared bribes" for the commercial rights of the Copa do Brasil with predecessor Ricardo Teixeira and current President Marco Polo Del Nero, according to Maisonnave, Itri, Rizzo & Reis of FOLHA DE SÃO PAULO. In a '14 meeting held in Miami with Traffic Group Owner & Founder José Hawilla, Marin "suggested that the bribes that were being shared" with Teixeira "should be paid to himself and Del Nero." The investigation claimed that, when Hawilla mentioned the bribe being paid to Teixeira, Marin said, "It's time for it (the bribe) to come in our direction. True, or not?" Hawilla "agreed." The U.S. DoJ described two of the individuals as "high-ranking executives of the CBF," CONMEBOL and FIFA. Only Marin and Teixeira "fit the description" (FOLHA DE SÃO PAULO, 5/28).
DOUBLE CHECKING: In São Paulo, Itri reported the CBF said that it will "revise any contracts involved in the scandal" currently being investigated by the U.S. DoJ. CBF Secretary-General Walter Feldman said, "This is something that Marco Polo Del Nero has ordered ever since he took over. ... The contracts were signed before Marin's administration, there is nothing afterwards. I know the contracts." When asked if Marin's arrest "tarnished the reputation of the CBF," Del Nero said, "Well, it's not good, is it? Of course not, it's terrible, but we'll just have to see what happens" (FOLHA DE SÃO PAULO, 5/28).
