Morvillo Abramowitz Represents Imagina Group in Resolving DOJ’s FIFA-Related Investigation
July 10, 2018
NEW YORK, July 10, 2018 - Morvillo Abramowitz Grand Iason & Anello PC represented Spanish media company Imagina Group, a leading global content, production, and sports media provider, in connection with the Company’s resolution of a multi-year investigation by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York into improper payments made by one-time managers of the Company to obtain media and marketing rights to certain World Cup soccer qualifying matches in the Central American and Caribbean regions. In representing the Company, Morvillo Abramowitz conducted an extensive internal investigation and oversaw the implementation and improvement of the Company’s controls and compliance functions. As part of the resolution, no charges will be brought against Spain-based Imagina Media Audiovisual SL, which entered into a non-prosecution agreement. The Company received credit for its substantial cooperation with the government’s investigation and for its extensive company-wide compliance and control improvements. The representation was led by partner Benjamin S. Fischer and counsel Daniel F. Wachtell.
The agreement resolves allegations against the company that have been a matter of public record since a Superseding Indictment was unsealed in December 2015 in connection with the government’s investigation relating to FIFA. Based on the conduct set forth in the Superseding Indictment, a U.S.-based affiliate of the company, US Imagina, LLC, which is not an active contracting entity, pled guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. As part of the resolution, the Company agreed to pay a criminal fine of $12.883 million, and in addition returned $6.65 million to the affected soccer federations and forfeited $5.279 million in profits associated with the conduct related to the soccer contracts at issue. Morvillo Abramowitz partner Brian Jacobs and associates Audrey Feldman and Peter Dubrowski were also part of the team that represented Imagina in connection with this matter.