The World Cup Referee Who Got Arrested by the FBI

In September 2010, a man stepped off a plane at JFK Airport with six kilograms of pure heroin taped to his body. He wasn't a cartel member. Eight years earlier, he stood in the middle of a World Cup with the power to decide who advanced and who went home. His name is Byron Moreno — the referee from the most controversial match in modern World Cup history: Italy vs South Korea, 2002 Round of 16. The soft penalty, the elbow waved away, Totti sent off for a "dive" that replays couldn't find, the disallowed Tommasi goal that was actually onside, and the golden goal that sent the four-time champions home. Then it kept getting worse: 13 invented minutes of stoppage time back in Ecuador, a 20-match ban, a run for political office, and finally an airport arrest that turned the world's most hated referee into a convicted drug smuggler. Genius or villain? A crook, or just a man who never knew when to stop? You decide. CHAPTERS 0:00 Intro: heroin at JFK 0:39 Who was Byron Moreno 1:21 The match: Italy vs South Korea 1:53 The controversial calls 2:57 Korea equalizes, golden goal 3:19 Totti sent off, disallowed goal 4:07 South Korea wins, Italy robbed 4:24 Italy explodes in fury 5:19 Back in Ecuador: the 13 minutes 6:24 He quits in 2003 6:39 2010: the airport arrest 7:06 Prison and release 7:31 Genius or villain? You decide