— The Carolina RailHawks’ first and oldest group of supporters on Friday called for Traffic Sports to be ousted as majority owner of the Cary-based soccer club.

The Triangle Soccer Fanatics (TSF), in an open letter posted on the group’s website and addressed to Bill Peterson, commissioner of the North American Soccer League (NASL), urges “the NASL to revoke Traffic’s franchise rights immediately and for the [l]eague to assume full control of the Carolina RailHawks on an interim basis until new, permanent, preferably local ownership is found.”

“Triangle Soccer Fanatics believes it is no longer in the best interest of the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill-Cary community to be affiliated in any way with an ownership group that has pleaded guilty to the criminal offense of wire fraud conspiracy and has been implicated in broad ranging indictments for racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering conspiracies, among other offenses,” the letter continues.

Last Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Justice announced the indictments of 14 FIFA executives and other soccer officials in conjunction with a far-reaching investigation. Among those indicted was Aaron Davidson, then-chairperson of the NASL Board of Governors and president of Traffic Sports USA, Inc., the majority stakeholder in the Carolina RailHawks.

The Justice Department also announced that Traffic Sports International Inc. and its subsidiary, Traffic Sports USA Inc., pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy on May 14 as a part of this ongoing DOJ investigation. Moreover, José Hawilla, the owner and founder of the Traffic Sports Group, waived indictment and pleaded guilty to charges of racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy and obstruction of justice. Hawilla agreed to forfeit over $151 million, $25 million of which was paid at the time of his plea on Dec. 12.

On the same day as the DOJ announcement, the NASL issued a statement stating the league’s Board of Governors has suspended Davidson, along with all business activities between the league and Traffic Sports, effective immediately. Commissioner Bill Peterson is now serving as active chairperson of the board.

On Tuesday, Traffic Sports issued a statement that Davidson has been removed from his activities. However, the statement also said Traffic Sports “will continue to conduct our normal commercial activities and service all corporate sponsors, media partners and federations for the upcoming events.”

The NASL has yet to respond to inquiries about what specific “business activities” between Traffic Sports and the league have been suspended. Indeed, Peterson and the NASL have not yet spoken publicly regarding this situation beyond last week’s brief statement, despite multiple inquiries from various media outlets and other interested groups, including TSF.

Sources also inform WRALSportsFan that Traffic Sports presently remains the owner and funding source for the RailHawks, notwithstanding any implications of the NASL’s statement last week.

Friday’s open letter from TSF decries this ongoing silence and status quo.

“From our vantage point, we have observed no shift away from Traffic Sports’ control of our club, nor have you responded to queries to further elaborate on the details of your statement,” the TSF letter reads.

Jarrett Campbell, president of TSF, says he shared a copy of the letter with Curt Johnson, president of the RailHawks, prior to posting it on the TSF website but did not receive any immediate feedback.

Campbell also says the letter was directly sent by e-mail to Peterson and copied to Johnson, NASL Chief Operating Officer Brian Melekian, NASL Director of Business Development & Legal Affairs Rishi Sehgal, NASL Director of Public Relations Neal Malone and Town of Cary Mayor Harold Weinbrecht.

“We are looking for leadership from the league to separate the Carolina RailHawks from this scandal and those that have brought it upon our community,” Campbell says. “League ownership of the RailHawks is not our goal or long-term vision for professional soccer in RDU. However, we believe it is a necessary and immediate step that should be taken to put us on a path to the highest level of both professional soccer and integrity that the Triangle community deserves.”

Regardless, Campbell says TSF will maintain their usual presence in section 309 of WakeMed Soccer Park this Saturday night to cheer the RailHawks as they close their NASL spring season by hosting Minnesota United FC. Campbell says no coordinated in-stadium demonstrations are planned for this Saturday’s match.