Botafogo owner John Textor has continued his claims that corruption is rampant in the Brasileirão. This is not the first time the American investor has made claims about the issue. Textor previously went on a scathing rant on live television regarding the problem back in November.

The club’s owner was left fuming following Botafogo‘s 4-3 defeat against Palmeiras on Nov. 1. Textor’s team had a 3-0 first-half lead in the match, but ultimately fell apart in the latter stages. Palmeiras eventually grabbed a game-winning goal nine minutes into added time. The American was subsequently banned for 30 days for the outburst.

Textor then went to the Brazilian courts weeks later with claims of match-fixing in the league. The team owner even asked the officials to either cancel out the final six games of the season or replay them. The court, however, declined Textor’s claims, saying that they were “subjective and inconsistent.”

As a result of the two incidents, Textor is facing lawsuits for slander by Brazilian Football Federation president Ednaldo Rodrigues. The American previously called on the executive to step down from his role with the organization.

Textor claims to be releasing recordings about bribes for referees in Brazil

Textor, however, is not giving up on his battle against the Brasileirão. In new claims, the American asserts he has recordings of officials complaining about not receiving their bribes. The businessman made the statement during a discussion with reporters on Wednesday night.

“Fans will find out, over the next 30 days, what really happened in the Brasileirão,” proclaimed Textor. “They know how I feel about it, but I’m not going to put it out in the press. It’s irresponsible. The judges in the sports court should not be making jokes with anyone about manipulations and errors.”

“For someone to say that there is no corruption in Brazil when I have referees recorded complaining about not having their bribes paid… Maybe the CBF shouldn’t sue me.”

“I didn’t accuse Ednaldo [Rodrigues, president of the CBF]. I never said anything about him. He is not corrupt. He is a man who runs an organization that probably needs to manage external corruption better. Because it is a battle against external factors. It’s a battle that exists and is here. There were manipulations and errors in 2021, 2022, 2023, and we have proof.”

Corruption has struck Brasileirão multiple times in recent years

Textor will hope that he can provide the authorities with proof regarding the bold claim. If not, the American businessman could very well face further lawsuits by Brazilian soccer authorities. Corruption, however, is not exactly a new concept in the South American nation. Several top-flight league matches earned replays back in 2005 due to an officiating scandal. Another incident involving multiple Brasileirão players initiated an investigation for match-fixing last year.

Textor became the majority owner of Botafogo in early 2022. This came just five months after the investor bought a stake in Premier League side Crystal Palace. The American also owns Lyon and Belgian club RWD Molenbeek. All of these purchases occurred in just over a year.

PHOTOS: IMAGO.