The former head of 21st Century Fox and an Argentine sports marketing company was convicted in New York on Thursday of paying bribes to obtain television rights to international soccer operators.

The Department of Justice of the United States said in a statement that the former director of Fox Hernan Lopez, 52, and the Argentine company Full Play have been found guilty on all charges of involvement in the scheme to bribe the officials of FIFA, CONMEBOL and CONCACAF bribes.

Lopez's defense attorney, Carlos Martinez, was acquitted after the seven-week trial in federal court in Brooklyn.

Lopez faces up to 40 years in prison and millions of dollars in fines.

The Buenos Aires-based company Full Play, whose owners Hugo and Mariano Jinkis are still big, expects to receive a multi-million dollar fine.

"Today's verdict is a resounding victory for justice and for soccer fans around the world," US attorney Breon Peace said.

"The defendants cheated by bribing soccer officials to act in their own greedy interests rather than in the best interests of the sport," Peace added.

During the trial, the court heard that the leaders of the South American football governing body, CONMEBOL, received more than 32 million dollars in the corruption case that brought FIFA into chaos in 2015.

Argentine businessman Alejandro Burzaco - who testified for the prosecution after pleading guilty to involvement in the scandal - told the court that he, Lopez and Martinez offered bribes to CONMEBOL law enforcement officials to obtain media rights.

Corruption scandals uncovered by US officials eventually led to the downfall of former FIFA president Sepp Blatter.

So far, more than 50 people from 20 countries have been charged, resulting in more than 30 people in the judiciary.

Burzaco said during the trial that the defendants paid between "30 and 32 million dollars" in bribes to obtain the right to broadcast South American football tournaments such as the Copa Libertadores, as well as matches friendlies and qualifying matches.

The court heard that the main beneficiaries of the fishing scheme were six of the most powerful men in South American football.

Among them are former CONMEBOL president Nicolas Leoz, who died in 2019, former Argentine football manager Julio Grondona, who died in 2014, and former Brazilian football director Ricardo Teixeira.

Leoz, Grondona and Teixeira were also members of the FIFA Executive Committee in 2010 who awarded the 2018 World Cup in Russia and the 2022 final to Qatar with a bribed vote.

Other South American officials who received promotions were CONMEBOL vice president Eugenio Figueredo, general secretary Eduardo Deluca and treasurer Romer Osuna, according to Burzaco.

Burzaco's plea agreement includes an agreement with a U.S. court. to pay at least $21.6 million.