Eduardo Li, former president of the Costa Rican soccer federation (FEDEFUT) pleaded guilty today (Friday, October 7) of three of the 14 charges against him, raketeering conspiracy, wire fraud, and wire fraud conspiracy.

Li is being accused of requesting kickbacks and bribes for the commercialization of marketing and broadcasting rights of the Costa Rican male National Soccer Team matches between 2009 and 2015. (the last amount revealed was of $700,000 given by the company Traffic Sports USA).

Eduardo Li was arrasted in May 2015 in a hotel in Zurich, Switzerland where he was about to become a member to the FIFA’s executive committee. He was extradited to the U.S.A. in December 2015.

The FIFAGate bribery case involves 42 individuals and over $200 million in bribes and kickbacks.

So far, 16 people and 2 sports marketing companies have pleaded guilty to U.S. charges. Among this, Rafael Callejas and Alfredo Hawit from Honduras who already accepted their responsibility, negotiated and are waiting for their sentence.

Since September 19, Assistant U.S. Attorney Even Norris had admited that some of the defendants were in plea discussions.

After pleading guilty the process will continue until the final sentence is given, but it will accelerate the process so that he doesn’t have to undergo a long trial.  He is been scheduled to face trial along with seven other defendants in November 2017.