Judge Orders Arrest of Manuel Arroyo If He Enters US
A federal judge's October 25, 2025 order targets the Grupo Lauman executive over unpaid funds tied to a dispute with Fox Corporation.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Financial Crime
US District Judge Jed Rakoff signed an arrest order on October 25, 2025, directing that Manuel Arroyo be arrested if he is within US jurisdiction. Sanctions and fines against Arroyo, Grupo Lauman and Mexico Sports Distribution total more than $70 million.
Why it matters
The order follows Arroyo's failure to comply with court orders of September 5 and September 19, 2025 to return funds. The dispute has left unpaid rights fees owed to Mexican media operators and sports rights holders.
Judge Jed Rakoff's arrest order applies only if Arroyo enters US jurisdiction, and it remains in place until he complies with the 2025 orders to return the funds. Whether Arroyo will comply or face arrest has not been reported.
The players
Manuel Arroyo
Arroyo is the executive held in contempt individually by the court, whose personal involvement in redirecting funds through MSD led to the arrest order.
Grupo Lauman
Grupo Lauman is the Mexican media company that bought the Fox Sports Mexico business from Disney and is in a long-running legal dispute with Fox Corporation.
Fox Corporation
Fox Corporation is the US media conglomerate that has been in dispute with Grupo Lauman since 2023 over payments and use of the Fox Sports name.
Jed Rakoff
Jed Rakoff is the US federal district judge in New York who issued the asset freeze, contempt findings and the October 25, 2025 arrest order.
The details
Grupo Lauman bought the Fox Sports Mexico business from Disney five years ago and has been in dispute with Fox Corporation since 2023 over alleged missed contractual payments and unauthorised use of the Fox Sports name. A later investigation found that MSD made more than $12 million in unauthorised transfers on Grupo Lauman's behalf, and the judge concluded Arroyo was personally involved in redirecting money through MSD.
Timeline
2023: Rakoff ordered a global freeze on assets linked to Grupo Lauman's subsidiaries and fined the company for contempt.
September 5 and 19, 2025: Arroyo failed to comply with two court orders to return funds.
October 25, 2025: Judge Rakoff signed the arrest order against Arroyo.
Legal Context
The 2023 global asset freeze Judge Rakoff ordered against Grupo Lauman subsidiaries set the enforcement path that the October 2025 arrest order now extends to Arroyo personally. The move shows US courts pursuing individual executives when corporate sanctions and fines go unpaid across borders.
The arrest order means Arroyo could be detained if he travels into the United States while the funds remain unreturned. Residents of Mexico and rights holders awaiting unpaid media fees face continued uncertainty until the dispute is resolved.
The takeaway
Unpaid fines and unreturned funds can carry personal consequences for executives, even across borders. Businesses that owe court-ordered payments should treat contempt findings as a serious risk to their leaders' travel and freedom.
Further reading
Readers tracking cross-border cases can explore more in Financial Crime.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Inside World Football.
