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US prosecutor says more arrests coming in football corruption probe

Published:Wednesday | May 27, 2015 | 12:00 AM
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AP photo
From top left clockwise Jeffrey Webb: Current FIFA vice-president and executive committee member, Concacaf president, Jose Maria Marin Current member of the FIFA organising committee for the Olympic football tournaments, Nicolas Leoz former FIFA executive committee member and Conmebol president, Eugenio Figueredo current FIFA vice-president and executive committee member, Jack Warner, former FIFA vice-president and executive committee member, Concacaf president, and Eduardo Li, current FIFA executive committee member-elect, Concacaf executive committee member.
AP photo
Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch announces an indictment against nine FIFA officials and five corporate executives for racketeering, conspiracy and corruption at a news conference today.
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US Attorney General Loretta Lynch says more arrests are expected in their ongoing investigations into corruption allegations against a number of FIFA executives.

Lynch was giving details of the US investigation into football's governing body following the arrest of several FIFA executives by Swiss law enforcement authorities today. 

Among those who have been arrested so far are, CONCACAF president Jeffrey Webb, Costa Rica federation president Eduardo Li and Eugenio Figueredo, a current FIFA vice-president and a former president of the South American Football federation.

Webb, Li and Figueredo, along with six other FIFA officials and five corporate executives, have been named by the US Department of Justice in an indictment that centres around charges of wire fraud, racketeering and money laundering.

They are among 14 indicted on corruption charges, accused of accepting bribes and kickbacks estimated at more than US$150 million over a 24-year period.

Trinidadian politician, Austin 'Jack' Warner who is a former FIFA vice-president is also among those indicted.

The US Attorney General Loretta Lynch Lynch says these individuals violated American laws.   

 

US Attorney General Loretta Lynch

She also alleged that bribery was involved in FIFA's 2011 presidential election and the awarding of the 2016 Copa America tournament, due to take place in the US.

Lynch also says FIFA executives accepted bribes to help secure the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.  

And the Attorney General says the Federal Bureau of Investigations has also executed a search warrant of the CONCACAF head office in Miami. 

 

US Attorney General Loretta Lynch
 

US authorities are also investigating World Cup qualifying matches held in CONCACAF, the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the CONCACAF Champions League and the CONMEBOL/CONCACAF Copa America Centenario, which is set to be staged in the US next year.