2017 - 2018 Football Thread - Page 13

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Legendary Mexican soccer player Rafael Marquez Alvarez and a well-known norteno band leader are among 22 people sanctioned for alleged ties to a drug trafficking organization, the United States Treasury announced Wednesday.

The Treasury said in a statement that it will also sanction 43 entities in Mexico, including a soccer team and casino.

The sanctions are the result of a multi-year investigation of the drug trafficking organization allegedly headed by Raul Flores Hernandez.

It is the single largest such designation of a drug trafficking organization ever by its Office of Foreign Assets Control, the statement said.

Marquez is a former Barcelona and New York Red Bulls star who currently plays for the Mexican soccer club Atlas in Guadalajara and is captain of the Mexican national team.

Messages left for Marquez's agent Enrique Nieto seeking comment were not immediately answered.

Flores Hernandez allegedly operated independently in the northern city of Guadalajara, but maintained alliances with the Sinaloa and Jalisco New Generation cartels.

The Mexican Attorney General's Office also seized related assets, including the Grand Casino near Guadalajara, according to the Treasury statement.

"Raul Flores Hernandez has operated for decades because of his longstanding relationships with other drug cartels and his use of financial front persons to mask his investments of illegal drug proceeds," OFAC Director John E. Smith said in the statement.

Federal drug trafficking indictments against Flores Hernandez were returned in March in Washington and the southern district of California.

The U.S. government referred to Marquez and norteno singer Julio Cesar Alvarez, better known as Julion Alvarez, as people with longstanding relationships with Flores Hernandez, who "have acted as front persons for him and his (drug trafficking organization) and held assets on their behalf."

The sanctions freeze all U.S. assets of the people and entities named and forbid U.S. citizens from doing business with them.

On August 10 2017 04:09 Pandemona wrote:
Jesus i liked Marquez too, was great centre half for barca.

On August 10 2017 04:43 Pandemona wrote:
Haitike what's the latest rumours! Coutinho? Dembele? will you sign any of them or all rubbish paper talk.

Liverpool have rejected a second bid from Barcelona for Philippe Coutinho, a source has told ESPN FC.

Barcelona have seen their latest offer of €100 million -- an initial €85m and then €15m in add-ons -- dismissed by Liverpool.

ESPN Deportes reported on Tuesday, citing a sources close to Barcelona, that the clubs had agreed on a deal. A source in Liverpool disputed that to ESPN FC on Wednesday, saying that Coutinho will not be sold and that the club considers the matter closed.

The follow-up bid comes after the Merseyside club rejected a £72 million offer from Barcelona last month.

On August 10 2017 04:49 haitike wrote:


Media is talking about Coutinho, Dembele and Iñigo Martinez. But I don't expect too much of Bartomeu, he is a terrible president. I can see a similar case to when the club received the money of Figo and wasted it in Overmars, Petit, Alfonso and Gerard.

On August 10 2017 15:09 Bacillus wrote:
It must be pretty awkward position for Barca to negotioate. Everybody knows they've got the Neymar sized boots to fill and plenty of money to splash around. Everyone they want is going to have such a heavy price tag at this point.

On August 10 2017 22:26 Skynx wrote:
Bosz: "Ousmane Dembele was not in training today. We do not know why. We tried to reach him but we did not."

"Everything has its limit and no player is above Barca. [Neymar's] way of doing things was not the best. It was not befitting a Barcelona player."

On August 10 2017 22:38 city42 wrote:

Bartomeu on Neymar:



I wonder if he'll condemn Dembele in the same fashion?