US judge releases Brazilian in FIFA scandal

NEW YORK: A federal judge in New York on Monday granted the release from prison on humanitarian grounds of an 87-year-old former senior Brazilian football official tarnished by the FIFA corruption scandal.

Judge Pamela Chen authorized the release of Jose Maria Marin, a former Brazilian Football Confederation president, who was serving a four-year prison sentence for accepting millions of dollars in bribes as part of the global FIFA corruption scandal.

Marin was scheduled for release in early December 2020, according the US Federal Bureau of Prisons.But following a request from the Brazilian’s lawyers Chen granted a "compassionate release," for reasons "including his advanced age, significantly deteriorating health, elevated risk of dire health consequences due to the current Covid-19 outbreak, status as a non-violent offender, and service of 80% of his original sentence," a court document seen by AFP read.