Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Some of Sunil Gulati's Conflict of Interest issues



Earlier today John Pranjic posted a great series of tweets laying out exactly how Sunil Gulati has a serious Conflict of Interest problem concerning SUM, MLS, and USSF.

You can find the series of Tweets by opening this.
For those of you who don't like Twitter here they are in text form.


What follows will be undeniable public evidence/information pertaining to @sunilgulati’s clear conflicts of interest as @ussoccer president.

First, several definitions of conflict of interest that are widely accepted and easily understood.

Conflict of interest:
a person is in a position to derive personal benefit from actions or decisions made in their official capacity.

“A conflict of interest is a set of circumstances that creates a risk that professional judgment…” 

“…or actions regarding a primary interest will be unduly influenced by a secondary interest.”

In 2000, @sunilgulati was elected as vice president of @ussoccer. (This is a voting and powerful position.)

In 2006, @sunilgulati was elected as president of @ussoccer. (This is a voting and powerful position.)

According to @sunilgulati’s declaration filed on 10/16/17 he said, “I ceased working for Kraft Soccer Properties in 2013.” 

According to @sunilgulati’s publicly available resume, he was President of Kraft Soccer LLC from 2004-2011.

According to @sunilgulati’s publicly available resume, he was managing director of Kraft Soccer LLC from 1999-2003.

Kraft Soccer LLC is the company that founded and manages the NE Revolution of Major League Soccer (MLS).

While serving as @ussoccer president, @sunilgulati was dually employed by Kraft Soccer LLC, a clear conflict of interest.

The duties of his job during that time included managing the soccer properties of Kraft Soccer LLC and cites Soccer United Marketing (SUM).

His resume also lists an advisory role for the investment company “Stone Tower Equity Company” which is now “Apollo Global Management.”

Apollo Global Management says, “Our investment professionals frequently collaborate and share information across disciplines… 

“… including market insight, management, banking and consultant contacts as well as potential investment opportunities…” 

“…which contributes to our library of industry knowledge and enables us to invest successfully across a company's capital structure.”

Robert Kraft is a corporate director for Apollo Global Management. (No information about Stone Tower Equity Company could be found.)

Furthermore, @ussoccer is responsible for creating the Professional League Standards (PLS) Task Force.

The PLS Task Force is responsible for determining “whether the standards should be improved and/or made more rigorous”.

These standards refer to the professional leagues governed by @ussoccer, led by @sunilgulati.

The PLS Task Force can recommend changes that the @ussoccer board of directors can vote on.

In 2008, while employed by Kraft Soccer LLC, @sunilgulati handpicked Burton Haimes to lead the PLS Task Force, a clear conflict of interest.

In 2008, the PLS Task Force organized by Mr. Haimes recommended changes for the 1st time since MLS' inception.

According to the declaration filed on 10/16/17, the PLS changes “were then revised in 2008, 2010 (for Division II only)”.

In 2010, while still employed by Kraft Soccer LLC, @sunilgulati himself appointed another “task force to revisit the Division II standards”. 

“In late 2012, the USSF determined it was time for a comprehensive review of all of the Professional League Standards.”

“The PLS Task Force included the same individuals” that @sunilgulati chose in 2010 while he was employed by Kraft Soccer LLC.

In 2015, two of @sunilgulati’s former PLS Task Force selections (while @sunilgulati was with Kraft Soccer LLC) were still serving. 
  
The ties to Robert Kraft, NE Revolution, MLS, SUM are undeniable and a clear conflict of interest for the president and leader of @ussoccer.

As we've talked about previously on this blog... the Conflict of Interest issues within USSF are serious, deep, and long running.



 We need #ReformUSSF as soon as possible.

Please continue to speak up on social media, share information to help educate fellow fans, and stand up for the game. #ProRelForUSA 

P.S. Here it is in video form


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