Florida court sustained GolTV complaint against Fox Sports Latin America
In 2016, GolTV filed a lawsuit which alleged that Fox executives bribed directors of the South American soccer (football) federation, Conmebol.
In the recent decision, the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida sustained the complaint against Fox Sports Latin America and other defendants. The complaint alleged that Fox Sports bribed officials of Conmebol to obtain the rights to televise matches. The judge denied in part and granted in part Fox Sports’ motion to dismiss, sustaining GolTV’s claims for violations of civil RICO and for tortious interference with prospective economic advantage. In addition, the judge dismissed related antitrust and state law claims.
The order follows the criminal convictions of two former Conmebol officials in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York for related RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations ACT) violations.
GolTV is a Florida-based, bilingual US soccer-only TV network.
Fox Sports Latin America is a sports cable and satellite network, owned by Fox Latin American Channels and part of the Fox Networks.
GolTV is represented by Julissa Reynoso, Seth Farber, George Mastoris and Marcelo Blackburn at Winston & Strawn LLP as well as Peter Levitt of Shutts & Bowen.
The lawsuit was filed in October 2016 while Reynoso was at Chadbourne & Parke (now Norton Rose Fulbright). Both Reynoso and Blackburn joined Winston in August 2017.
It is understood that Fox Sports Latin America instructed Williams & Connolly.
