In May the US indicted 14 current and former Fifa officials and associates on charges of "rampant, systemic, and deep-rooted" corruption following a major inquiry by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). And in December, 16 more officials were charged following the arrest of two Fifa vice-presidents in at the same hotel in Zurich.
Full Answer
What is the FIFA scandal and what has happened?
The scandal erupted in May, with a raid on a luxury hotel in Zurich and the arrest of seven Fifa executives - conducted at the behest of the US authorities.
Who got arrested in the FIFA corruption scandal?
Until now, FIFA has deflected widespread corruption allegations by finding and suspending scapegoats, rather than acknowledging any problems at an institutional level. So who got arrested? Most of the defendants are from CONCACAF and CONMEBOL, the organizations that run North and South American soccer, respectively.
What has the FIFA investigation revealed about its culture?
The investigation into FIFA has revealed a toxic culture of unethical behavior, non-compliance and corruption that started from the top and trickled down to every facet of the organization. This culture became so entrenched in FIFA, that reform looked to be a monumental undertaking.
Who has previously pleaded guilty under seal in the FIFA scandal?
The following individuals and corporations previously pleaded guilty under seal: On July 15, 2013, the defendant Daryll Warner, son of defendant Jack Warner and a former FIFA development officer, waived indictment and pleaded guilty to a two-count information charging him with wire fraud and the structuring of financial transactions.
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Why was the US involved in the FIFA scandal?
In addition, the indictment handed down by the U.S. District Court in Brooklyn, New York, alleges that bribery was used in an attempt to influence clothing sponsorship contracts, the selection process for the 2010 FIFA World Cup host, and the 2011 FIFA presidential election.
Who was involved in FIFA corruption?
More than six years after being ousted in a sprawling soccer corruption scandal, the former FIFA president Sepp Blatter and his onetime ally Michel Platini were indicted on fraud charges on Tuesday by the authorities in Switzerland, who accused the men of arranging a secret $2 million payment.
Who exposed FIFA corruption?
Andrew JenningsLONDON (AP) — Andrew Jennings, a groundbreaking investigative journalist who exposed the darker corners of the Olympic movement and soccer body FIFA, has died.
Did the FBI investigate FIFA?
The IRS and FBI's five-year investigation into FIFA, its executive committee and its six regional soccer federations still isn't over. So far, 32 officials have been indicted, but Sepp Blatter, FIFA's former president, has avoided charges.
How did FIFA handle corruption?
Fifa, world football's governing body, will receive over $201m (£146.5m) in forfeited funds seized during a global corruption probe, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), said on Tuesday.
How much did Qatar bribe FIFA?
According to leaked documents obtained by The Sunday Times, Qatari state-run television channel Al Jazeera secretly offered $400 million to FIFA, for broadcasting rights, just 21 days before FIFA announced that Qatar will hold the 2022 World Cup.
Is FIFA a criminal organization?
The revelation of the criminal charges set off an international firestorm. Then, in December 2015, authorities made public a superseding indictment that expanded the number of suspects charged, and explained in further detail why prosecutors considered FIFA to be a criminal enterprise.
Which of the following were charged in the FIFA indictment?
All told, the soccer officials are charged with conspiring to solicit and receive well over $150 million in bribes and kickbacks in exchange for their official support of the sports marketing executives who agreed to make the unlawful payments.
What did EA Sports do FBI?
The FBI alleges that four hackers are guilty of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, having earned millions of dollars from an illegitimate FIFA coin mining scheme.
Who is the boss of FIFA?
Giovanni Vincenzo InfantinoGiovanni Vincenzo Infantino (Italian pronunciation: [dʒoˈvanni vinˈtʃɛntso iɱfanˈtiːno]; born 23 March 1970) is a Swiss-Italian football administrator and the current president of FIFA. He was elected President of FIFA during the 2016 FIFA Extraordinary Congress in February 2016.
Why is FIFA a legal takedown?
FIFA is uniquely positioned for this kind of epic legal takedown because the Justice Department kind of gets off on this heavy-lifting display of authority even outside American borders over the past decade. Also, it helps that Americans don't really care about soccer.
Why did Swiss police raid a hotel?
Swiss police on Wednesday raided a Zurich hotel to detain top FIFA football officials as part of a US investigation into corruption. Philipp Schmidli/Getty. Early this morning in Zurich (or late last night for those of us stateside), Swiss plainclothes police entered the Baur au Lac; the five-star hotel was the site of this week's annual meeting ...
Why do sports leagues lock out players?
Endemically American sports leagues—the NFL, NBA, MLB for instance—can get away with holding cities hostage for taxpayer money to rebuild stadiums, or locking out players to get a larger share of league revenue, because Americans care too much about seeing the sport to rise up against the shady business.
Who played Blatter in Moneyball?
Imagine if Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane shook down the city of Oakland for enough tax dollars to pay Brad Pitt’s salary for playing Beane in Moneyball ---that’s what Roth playing Blatter looks like on a grander scale. Blatter is basically NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, if he acted like a foreign dictator.
Which countries have the same say in the federation?
That means that the Maldives, Trinidad & Tobago, or Andorra have the same say in federation decisions as Brazil, Germany, or England.
Is FIFA a federal case?
This is a federal case, and the indictment deals chiefly with alleged fraud and corruption in North and South America. Until now, FIFA has deflected widespread corruption allegations by finding and suspending scapegoats, rather than acknowledging any problems at an institutional level.
Is FIFA a nonprofit?
But while he maintains that FIFA is but a humble nonprofit doing humanitarian work to bring sport to the world, he’s basically the head of a shadow nation-state that doesn’t "govern" world soccer so much as it plunders countries that want to host the World Cup. (Like, say, Qatar .)
Story highlights
In recent years, FIFA has made news not just for enforcing rules on the soccer field, but also for allegedly breaking them off it.
Michael Garcia
The World Cup is a big deal. It comes around every four years, and when it does, it’s the biggest sporting spectacle on the planet.
James Comey and Loretta Lynch
As we mentioned earlier, Garcia is a former U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York. The guy who held that job before him? James Comey.
Chuck Blazer
Chuck Blazer, an American, was the No. 2 man in CONCACAF, the FIFA-affiliated governing body for North America and the Caribbean. The organization has its headquarters in Florida.
CONCACAF
Remember when we mentioned CONCACAF? U.S. soccer falls under that governing body.
The United States of America
The United States brought charges against the suspects because the plots were allegedly hatched on American soil.
How much did Hawilla forfeit?
Hawilla also agreed to forfeit over $151 million, $25 million of which was paid at the time of his plea. On May 14, 2015, the defendants Traffic Sports USA Inc. and Traffic Sports International Inc. pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy.
How much did the defendants pay in kickbacks?
The defendants also include U.S. and South American sports marketing executives who are alleged to have systematically paid and agreed to pay well over $150 million in bribes and kickbacks to obtain lucrative media and marketing rights to international soccer tournaments.
What was Daryan Warner charged with?
25, 2013, the defendant Daryan Warner waived indictment and pleaded guilty to a three-count information charging him with wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy and the structuring of financial transactions.
What is the racketeering conspiracy?
The indictment alleges that, between 1991 and the present, the defendants and their co-conspirators corrupted the enterprise by engaging in various criminal activities , including fraud, bribery and money laundering.
What is the purpose of the soccer enterprise?
The principal – and entirely legitimate – purpose of the enterprise is to regulate and promote the sport of soccer worldwide. As alleged in the indictment, one key way the enterprise derives revenue is to commercialize the media and marketing rights associated with soccer events and tournaments.
What is the South American Confederation?
The South American confederation, called CONMEBOL, is also a focus of the indictment. As alleged in the indictment, FIFA and its six continental confederations, together with affiliated regional federations, national member associations and sports marketing companies, constitute an enterprise of legal entities associated in fact for purposes ...
How many members does FIFA have?
FIFA is composed of 209 member associations, each representing organized soccer in a particular nation or territory, including the United States and four of its overseas territories. FIFA also recognizes six continental confederations that assist it in governing soccer in different regions of the world.
How many FIFA officials were arrested in 2015?
On the morning of 27 May 2015, seven FIFA officials were arrested just before the start of the 65th FIFA Congress. Two days later Sepp Blatter comfortably defeated Prince Ali bin Hussein to remain as President of FIFA. David Gill threatened to resign his newly elected role as FIFA Vice-President and member of the FIFA Executive Committee. 41 arrests in total had been made with both organizations and individuals being arrested Within these arrests 14 people have been convicted. Out of these 14, there are 12 individuals and 2 organisations. They were all charged with things like "racketeering, wire fraud, and money laundering conspiracies". The investigations continued with the chance of more arrests remaining likely, on which Washington, D.C., Attorney General Loretta Lynch stated that the Department of Justice was aware that there are more corrupt officials and organizations, and expressed its commitment to catch all who were involved.
Which countries have been involved in FIFA arrests?
The arrests case triggered Australia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Germany and Switzerland to open or intensify separate criminal investigations into top FIFA officials for corruption.
How much did Blatter sell the 2010 World Cup?
In September 2015, Swiss public television channel SRF published that Blatter would have sold the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cup rights in North America for US$600,000, a small fraction of their market value.
What was the purpose of Blazer's guilty plea?
Blazer's guilty plea had aimed to stave off a more serious charge of racketeering, which carried a potential 20-year prison sentence. Blazer would later make secret recordings of meetings with FIFA officials, and allegedly carried a recording device concealed in a keyring during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.
What was the purpose of the bribery indictment?
District Court in Brooklyn, New York, alleges that bribery was used in an attempt to influence clothing sponsorship contracts, the selection process for the 2010 FIFA World Cup host, and the 2011 FIFA presidential election.
What is the FIFA?
In 2015, U.S. federal prosecutors disclosed cases of corruption by officials and associates connected with the Fédération Internationale de Football Association ( FIFA ), the governing body of association football, futsal and beach soccer .
Why was the 2014 World Cup so controversial?
Brazilian residents were unhappy with the amount of public money spent in order to build stadiums and other necessary facilities to host the World Cup. Many protests were held by citizens claiming poor financial management from the Brazilian government. Furthermore, there were additional issues with regard to safety, misconduct, and officiating with underperformance referees.
How many FIFA officials were arrested?
Fourteen FIFA officials were arrested and indicted in connection with an investigation by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and US Justice Department into wire fraud, racketeering and money laundering, spanning a period of 24 years.
What are the reforms in FIFA?
Some of the reforms included separating the management part of the organization from the political, limiting terms of office, performing consistent integrity checks, and greater transparency in day-to-day operations. FIFA’s Independent Ethics Committee also received an extended mandate to investigate violations of FIFA’s Code ...
When did FIFA reforms start?
FIFA officially started the process when it convened a special session of the FIFA Congress on February 26, 2016, in response to the corruption case.
Is soccer a beautiful sport?
Soccer (or “football” depending on your geographic orientation) is often referred to as the “beautiful game.”. Of late, as recently as this month, the sport has become a bit less beautiful. The Fédération Internationale de Football Association (known as FIFA), the international governing body of soccer, has been embroiled in a corruption scandal ...
What is the corruption crisis in football?
Fifa corruption crisis: Key questions answered. Fifa, football's world governing body, has been engulfed by claims of widespread corruption since summer 2015, when the US Department of Justice indicted several top executives. It has now claimed the careers of two of the most powerful men in football, Fifa President Sepp Blatter ...
Why did Michael Garcia resign?
The report's independent author, American lawyer Michael Garcia, resigned in protest. The World Cup is the most-watched sporting event in the world, larger even than the Olympics. It generates billions of dollars in revenue from corporate sponsors, broadcasting rights and merchandising.
What was the $10m deal?
Much attention has been focused on a $10m deal that US prosecutors say was a bribe to secure the 2010 World Cup for South Africa. An email obtained by a South African newspaper appears to show that the then South African President, Thabo Mbeki, and Mr Blatter agreed to the deal.
What is the role of Concacaf?
One of its key roles is helping to agree World Cup TV and sponsorship deals in the US.
Is Blatter a suspect?
The use of US banks to transfer money appears to be key to the investigation. There is a separate criminal investigation by the Swiss attorney general, which has named Mr Blatter as a suspect. It was evidence unearthed during this investigation that led to his and Mr Platini's Fifa bans.
Which country hosted the 2006 World Cup?
Germany offers the best option, having hosted the 2006 World Cup. Qatar is more vulnerable and has been dogged with controversy and allegations of corruption ever since it was awarded the tournament.
Did the FIFA executive committee accept bribes?
he and others on the Fifa executive committee agreed to accept bribes in connection with the selection of South Africa as the host of the 2010 World Cup. one of his co-conspirators received a bribe in Morocco for its bid to host the 1998 tournament, which was eventually awarded to France.
Who was the baron accused of the World Cup fraud?
When the seven executives were hauled out of their beds in Zurich’s five-star Baur au Lac hotel and accused of the “World Cup of fraud”, the US Department of Justice revealed that one baron at the heart of it all, Charles “Chuck” Blazer, had already pleaded guilty. The American’s flip from Fifa powerbroker to admitted fraudster ...
Who paid bribes to Blatter?
Routinely, on almost every major deal to buy TV rights for the great South American football countries, he had to pay bribes, to Leoz, Teixeira and other football bosses, including Julio Grondona, president of the Argentina FA from 1979 and a central power-broker in Blatter’s Fifa until his death in 2014.
Why did the FBI tap Blazer's shoulder?
Blatter will always believe that the FBI and IRS began their work, with a tap on Blazer’s shoulder on 56th Street in Manhattan in November 2011, because the US was resentful that Fifa had spurned its bid to host the 2022 World Cup and voted for Qatar instead. Yet that overlooks some blatant episodes.
Who did Hawilla pay kickbacks to?
In his admission of guilt, Hawilla told the authorities he paid a kickback of $20m to Ricardo Teixeira, the long-term CBF president and a member of Fifa’s executive committee. Hawilla, who awaits sentencing, illuminated in his guilty plea the culture of entitlement that had enveloped the heights of world football administration.
When was corruption in Trinidad?
Yet that overlooks some blatant episodes. Corruption was in effect publicly advertised in Trinidad in May 2011 by the handing out of $1m in $40,000 payments, literally in brown envelopes, to delegates of FAs in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) on the order of Warner.
Who is the author of The Fall of the House of Fifa?
But given the guilty pleas of so many other former inhabitants of world football’s heights, the “World Cup of fraud” has already been proven. David Conn’ s book, The Fall of the House of Fifa, is published by Yellow Jersey. Topics.
Who was the head of Concacaf in 2010?
The worst accusation of all at the heart of the initial 164-page indictment was that Jack Warner of Trinidad & Tobago, for 21 years the head of Concacaf, had taken a $10m bribe to vote as a Fifa executive committee member for South Africa to host the 2010 World Cup. Blatter, when I interviewed him last summer for my book, ...
