As FIFA leaders gathered for a meeting in the 5-
star Baur au Lac hotel in Zurich this morning
May 27th, Swiss law enforcement officials
arrived unannounced and arrested 7 of highest-
ranking football officials in the world, at the
request of the United States Department of
Justice. Read full story below
Seven FIFA officials were arrested in
dawn raids on charges of receiving
millions of US dollars in bribes. A
separate criminal investigation into
the how the 2018 and 2022 World Cups
were allocated was also launched by Swiss
authorities.
Sepp Blatter faces Prince Ali bin al-
Hussein in Friday's election as he seeks
a fifth term as FIFA president.
Fifa, world football's governing body, has been
dogged by allegations of corruption and
wrongdoing in recent years.
The latest developments are another major blow,
although Fifa communications director Walter
De Gregorio insisted the organisation was
continuing to reform.
"This is good for Fifa," he told a news conference
following news of the arrests. "It hurts, it is not
easy, but it confirms we are on the right track."
The seven Fifa officials were arrested after the
US Department of Justice issued a 47-count
indictment charging 14 defendants with
racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering
conspiracies in a 24-year scheme.
"The indictment alleges corruption that is
rampant, systemic and deep-rooted," said New
York attorney general Loretta Lynch.
"It spans at least two generations of soccer
officials who, as alleged, have abused their
positions of trust to acquire millions of dollars
in bribes and kickbacks."
The charges allege:
Nine current or former Fifa
officials, including Jeffrey Webb
and former Fifa vice president
Jack Warner, charged with
corruption
Four individual and two
corporate defendants - including
former Concacaf general secretary
Chuck Blazer and Warner's son
Darayn plead guilty
Alleged scheme "fostered a culture
of corruption and greed that
created uneven playing field"
"Undisclosed and illegal
payments, kickbacks and bribes
became a way of doing business at
Fifa" - US DOJ
Majority of scheme involved
corruption over media and
marketing rights to matches and
tournaments
Jeffrey Webb: President of Concacaf, one of the
six regional confederations that compose FIFA,
and vice president of FIFA
Jack Warner: Former president of Concacaf and
vice president of FIFA
Eugenio Figueredo: Former president of
Conmebol, the South American federation, and
outgoing FIFA vice president
Eduardo Li: President of Costa Rican federation,
set to join FIFA executive committee this week
Julio Rocha: President of Nicaraguan
association
Costas Takkas: Former president of Cayman
Islands federation
Rafael Esquivel: President of Venezuelan
association since 1988
José Maria Marin: Former president of Brazil’s
federation
Nicolás Leoz: Former president of Conmebol and
former member of FIFA executive committee
Alejandro Burzaco: Argentine sports media
executive
Aaron Davidson: President of Traffic Sports USA
— a promoter of soccer events — and chairman
of the board of North American Soccer League
Hugo Jinkis: Soccer media executive
Mariano Jinkis: Soccer media executive
José Margulies: Charged as intermediary who
facilitated illegal payments
Sepp Blatter, president of FIFA since 1998, was
not charged, though the soccer officials who
were indicted might present prosecutors with
information that is damaging to Mr. Blatter. An
election, seemingly pre-ordained to give Mr.
Blatter a fifth term as president, is scheduled
for Friday in Zurich. It will go on as planned, a
FIFA spokesman said.
Source: BBC/New York Times
Here Are the FIFA Officials Indicted on
Corruption Charges
Jeffrey Webb: President of Concacaf, one of the
six regional confederations that compose FIFA,
and vice president of FIFA
Jack Warner: Former president of Concacaf and
vice president of FIFA
Eugenio Figueredo: Former president of
Conmebol, the South American federation, and
outgoing FIFA vice president
Eduardo Li: President of Costa Rican federation,
set to join FIFA executive committee this week
Julio Rocha: President of Nicaraguan
association
Costas Takkas: Former president of Cayman
Islands federation
Rafael Esquivel: President of Venezuelan
association since 1988
José Maria Marin: Former president of Brazil’s
federation
Nicolás Leoz: Former president of Conmebol and
former member of FIFA executive committee
Alejandro Burzaco: Argentine sports media
executive
Aaron Davidson: President of Traffic Sports USA
— a promoter of soccer events — and chairman
of the board of North American Soccer League
Hugo Jinkis: Soccer media executive
Mariano Jinkis: Soccer media executive
José Margulies: Charged as intermediary who
facilitated illegal payments
Sepp Blatter, president of FIFA since 1998, was
not charged, though the soccer officials who
were indicted might present prosecutors with
information that is damaging to Mr. Blatter. An
election, seemingly pre-ordained to give Mr.
Blatter a fifth term as president, is scheduled
for Friday in Zurich. It will go on as planned, a
FIFA spokesman said.
Source: BBC/New York Times
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