J. Hawilla, a partner at Globo and involved in a football bribery scandal, dies.
Lawyer, journalist, and businessman J. Hawilla died from respiratory problems. Of Lebanese descent, J. Hawilla began his career as a sports journalist in the 1960s. In the 80s, he moved into business and bought the then-unknown Traffic, which became the largest sports marketing agency in the country. A partner in Globo, the businessman was involved in bribery scandals.
247 - Lawyer, journalist and businessman J. Hawilla died this Friday morning (25), aged 74, due to respiratory problems. He had been hospitalized since Monday (21) at the Sírio Libanês hospital, in São Paulo.
Of Lebanese descent, J. Hawilla began his career as a sports journalist in the 1960s. In the 80s, he moved into the business world and bought the then-unknown Traffic, which advertised on bus stops in major cities. Under his leadership, the company expanded into advertising within soccer fields and became the largest sports marketing agency in the country.
Off the field, J. Hawilla founded TV TEM, which emerged from the purchase of Rede Globo affiliates in Sorocaba, Bauru, and Rio Preto, and the creation of a station in Itapetininga. He also owned the Bom Dia newspaper network, with a presence in various regions of the state.
The businessman leaves behind his wife, three children, and six grandchildren.
Scandal
A 2016 report by the Chilean Center for Investigative Journalism (Ciper) reveals a corruption scheme orchestrated by the former president of the South American Football Confederation (Conmebol), Nicolas Leoz, for the sale of broadcasting rights to the Copa Libertadores de América.
The operation involved the payment of bribes by the company T&T, formed through Mossack & Fonseca, and whose partners are the companies Argentina Torneios y Competições and Traffic, owned by Hawilla, a partner of Globo.
According to Ciper, the businessman confessed to the United States Justice Department that he paid bribes to the then-president of Conmebol, Nicolas Leoz, and other executives of the organization to obtain the rights to broadcast the Copa Libertadores de América between 1987 and 1995. The operation guaranteed Conmebol a total of US$ 262 million.
In 2018, a report was published in Globo Esporte websiteThe article, from Globo, pointed out how Hawilla paid bribes in what it calls the "FIFA Case." The text cites wiretaps that reveal "how the distribution of bribes worked in the 'FIFA Case'" and also "audios and documents" that "show that businessmen bribed officials to obtain contracts."
"J. Hawilla's wiretaps and hundreds of documents related to the case show the owner of Traffic and his associates openly discussing the payment of bribes to football officials in exchange for the commercial rights to the Copa do Brasil and Copa América, among other competitions," says an excerpt from the article.