How many FIFA officials and five corporate executives were indicted?
^ a b "Nine FIFA Officials and Five Corporate Executives Indicted for Racketeering Conspiracy and Corruption". www.justice.gov. 27 May 2015. Archived from the original on 17 April 2016. Retrieved 6 August 2019. ^ Haynes, Andrew (February 1997).
How many FIFA officials have been charged in the Zurich scandal?
"Fifa crisis: US charges 16 more officials after earlier Zurich arrests". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 3 December 2015. Retrieved 3 December 2015. ^ "Former President Of Honduran Soccer Federation Pleads Guilty To Racketeering And Corruption Charges." Www.justice.gove. United States Department of Justice, 28 March 2016.
Who are the defendants in the FIFA corruption case?
The Defendants Include Two Current FIFA Vice Presidents and the Current and Former Presidents of the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF); Seven Defendants Arrested Overseas; Guilty Pleas for Four Individual Defendants and Two Corporate Defendants Also Unsealed
When did FIFA officials get arrested for corruption?
Two further arrests of FIFA officials at the hotel occurred in December 2015. The arrests case triggered Australia, Colombia, Costa Rica, Germany and Switzerland to open or intensify separate criminal investigations into top FIFA officials for corruption.
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Who was charged in the FIFA indictment?
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.
Which countries bribed FIFA?
U.S. Says FIFA Officials Were Bribed to Award World Cups to Russia and Qatar. For nearly a decade, Russia and Qatar have been suspected of buying votes to win hosting rights for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
Which countries are prosecuting former FIFA executives?
GENEVA (AP) — Former FIFA officials Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini were charged with fraud and other offenses by Swiss prosecutors on Tuesday after a six-year investigation into a controversial $2 million payment.
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.
What happened FIFA arrests?
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".
Are UEFA corrupt?
UEFA Corruption Perhaps unsurprisingly, FIFA isn't the only footballing body guilty of misbehaviour on a grand scale. It's European counterpart, UEFA, has also been caught up in the mire of corruption that has swept through world football.
Is Qatar World Cup corrupt?
A former employee of Qatar's 2022 World Cup organisers who raised concerns over migrant workers has lost his appeal against a conviction for corruption. A court in Doha sentenced Abdullah Ibhais to three years in prison after it upheld a guilty verdict on the charge of misappropriating state funds.
Can you drink in Qatar?
Alcohol isn't illegal in Qatar, but there is zero tolerance for drinking in public and being drunk in public is a crime. Alcohol is available to buy for over 21-year-olds from licensed hotel restaurants and bars.
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.
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.
Where is Sepp Blatter now?
However, Blatter is now serving a fresh suspension after being found in March of last year to be part of a "vicious circle" of officials who sought to award themselves over £50m in undeclared payments.
How many people were indicted for corruption in FIFA?
This is in addition to the 14 people - nine Fifa officials and five corporate executives - indicted on corruption charges at the end of May, some of whom have now been convicted. Several other individuals and entities have pleaded guilty and have been convicted.
Who was the Fifa president who was arrested?
He enjoyed the backing of Fifa president Sepp Blatter, 77, who singled him out as his possible successor to head Fifa. Webb was one of seven men arrested in Zurich, Switzerland, on 27 May.
Why did Leoz ask for a knighthood?
In 2011, former English Football Association chairman Lord Triesman alleged that Mr Leoz had asked for a knighthood in return for supporting England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup. Mr Leoz denied both allegations and Fifa later cleared him of demanding a knighthood.
Why did Nicolas Leoz leave the Fifa?
Nicolas Leoz, 87, resigned from Fifa's powerful executive committee on "health and personal" grounds in 2013. In November 2010, the Paraguayan official was accused by the BBC's Panorama programme of taking bribes in the 1990s from the now defunct sports rights agency ISL.
What was the name of the football association that Mr. Warner was the president of?
He was also president of the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf) until 2011. After he resigned, Fifa dropped its inquiry into whether he was involved in any corruption. Mr Warner returned to Trinidad and Tobago, where he became minister of security.
Who is the development officer for Fifa?
Mr Rocha, 64, is currently a development officer with Fifa, tasked with introducing new football projects around the world.
Is Rafael Callejas extradited?
In January 2016, he agreed to be extradited to the US. Honduran ex- president Rafael Callejas, a member of Fifa's TV and marketing committee, said: "He assured and guaranteed that he was not involved in anything illicit.". Mr Callejas later also appeared on the list of those newly indicted.
Story highlights
Federal prosecutors in the United States on Thursday announced criminal charges against 16 FIFA officials, alleging they were part of a 24-year scheme to enrich themselves while overseeing the world governing body of soccer.
Arrests in Zurich requested by U.S
The Swiss Federal Office of Justice confirmed the identities of Hawit, a Honduran citizen, and Napout, who is from Paraguay, in a statement and revealed they are both opposing their extradition to the U.S.
FIFA reform proposals
FIFA congress will vote on the proposals put forward by the reform committee on February 26 – here’s a brief overview.
Accusations of racketeering
In May, U.S. prosecutors unveiled a 47-count indictment against 14 executives with ties to FIFA and companies with commercial ties to the organization.
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.
What was the investigation of FIFA?
The investigation mostly revolved around collusion between officials of continental football bodies CONMEBOL (South America) and CONCACAF (Caribbean, Central and North America), and sports marketing executives. The sports marketing executives were holders of media and marketing rights for high-profile international competitions including the Americas' FIFA World Cup qualifying tournaments, and showpiece tournaments CONCACAF Gold Cup and Copa América .
How long has Sepp Blatter been president of FIFA?
Sepp Blatter had been president of FIFA since 1998 (until his removal in December 2015). The Guardian said that FIFA's actions would "... inevitably be viewed with cynicism given Blatter's track record of using the Swiss courts and FIFA's regulatory processes to kick problematic issues into the long grass and deflect attention onto individuals who have already left football".
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.
Why did FIFA suspend a donation?
On 12 June 2015, an international law enforcement agency Interpol announced it was suspending a 20 million euro donation by FIFA to fund an anti-gambling and match-fixing program. Four million euros were spent in the first two years on prevention and education and another 1.5 million euros was set to be spent in the remaining eight years.
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?
Nine FIFA officials—including two current vice presidents—along with five corporate executives were charged with racketeering, wire fraud, and money laundering, among other offenses.
What is the purpose of the FIFA indictment?
government this morning unsealed indictments in a New York federal court against high-ranking officials and corporate executives affiliated with FIFA, the governing body of international soccer, for their roles in a decades-long scheme to corrupt the sport through bribes, kickbacks, and other criminal activity aimed at controlling lucrative marketing rights to international tournaments such as the World Cup.
How did soccer officials abuse their positions of trust?
Two generations of soccer officials abused their positions of trust for personal gain, frequently through alliances with sports marketing executives who shut out competitors and kept highly lucrative contracts for themselves through the systematic payment of bribes and kickbacks.
How much money was paid to get media rights to soccer?
The investigation, which is ongoing, has also snared U.S. sports marketing executives. In all, it is alleged that more than $150 million in bribes and kickbacks were paid or agreed to be paid to obtain media and marketing rights to international soccer tournaments.
What is the FIFA?
FIFA—the Fédération Internationale de Football Association— is the organization responsible for the regulation and promotion of soccer worldwide. It also oversees officials of other soccer governing bodies that operate under the FIFA umbrella. The organization is composed of 209 member associations, including six continental confederations ...
Who is the FBI Director who is investigating FIFA?
FBI Director James Comey joins other federal officials, including Attorney General Loretta Lynch (left) at a press conference in New York regarding the indictments of nine FIFA officials and five corporate executives on corruption and racketeering charges. FIFA—the Fédération Internationale de Football Association—is the organization responsible ...
How are sports rights sold?
Rights are typically sold through multi-year contracts. Sports marketing companies, in turn, sell the rights downstream to TV and radio broadcast networks, major corporate sponsors, and other sub-licensees who want to broadcast the matches or promote their brands.
How many FIFA officials are indicted?
Meet the FIFA officials, sports marketing execs and a broadcasting businessman. Feds charge nine FIFA officials in vast bribery, kickback schemes. — -- The 14 people indicted in the global crackdown of FIFA corruption covers a dozen nationalities, although authorities allege the crimes and payments were carried out in the U.S. via American banks.
How many people were arrested for corruption in FIFA?
Feds charge nine FIFA officials in vast bribery, kickback schemes. — -- The 14 people indicted in the global crackdown of FIFA corruption covers a dozen nationalities, although authorities allege the crimes and payments were carried out in the U.S. via American banks. Seven were arrested in Zurich by Swiss authorities at the request of the U.S.
When was Webb arrested?
Webb is among the soccer officials that were arrested and detained by Swiss police on Wednesday, May 27, 2015, at the request of U.S. authorities after a raid at Baur au Lac Hotel in Zurich. 2.
Who is the chairman of the LOC?
LOC chairman Jose Maria Marin attends a press conference following the meeting of the Organizing Committee for the FIFA World Cup 2014 in Costa do Sauipe, Brazil on March 27, 2014. 9. Julio Rocha, 64, Nicaragua: Current FIFA development officer.
How many defendants were FIFA officials?
Nine of the defendants were FIFA officials by operation of the FIFA statutes, as well as officials of one or more other bodies:
Who are the defendants in FIFA?
The defendants Jeffrey Webb and Jack Warner —the current and former presidents CONCACAF, the continental confederation under FIFA headquartered in the United States—are among the soccer officials charged with racketeering and bribery offenses. 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.
How many defendants were indicted in the Brooklyn indictment?
BROOKLYN, NY—A 47-count indictment was unsealed early this morning in federal court in Brooklyn charging 14 defendants with racketeering, wire fraud, and money laundering conspiracies, among other offenses, in connection with the defendants’ participation in a 24-year scheme to enrich themselves through the corruption of international soccer. The guilty pleas of four individual defendants and two corporate defendants were also unsealed today.
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. pled guilty to wire fraud conspiracy.
How did the soccer officials get corrupted?
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. Two generations of soccer officials abused their positions of trust for personal gain, frequently through an alliance with unscrupulous sports marketing executives who shut out competitors and kept highly lucrative contracts for themselves through the systematic payment of bribes and kickbacks. 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.
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.
Why is money forfeited in reserve?
All money forfeited by the defendants is being held in reserve to ensure its availability to satisfy any order of restitution entered at sentencing for the benefit of any individuals or entities that qualify as victims of the defendants’ crimes under federal law.
Why were Fifa officials indicted?
In May, nine Fifa officials and five sports and broadcast marketing executives were indicted by US prosecutors on corruption charges as the governing body became engulfed by claims of widespread wrongdoing.
How many defendants are in the new indictment?
The new 236-page indictment now alleges a total of 27 defendants engaged in a number of schemes involving selling lucrative media and marketing rights to international soccer tournaments and matches, among other valuable rights and properties.
Could it even mean the end of Fifa?
It is now being suggested that the world governing body's reputation has been so badly tarnished it is beyond repair and that football needs to start again from scratch.
Overview
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.
Near the end of May 2015, fourteen people were indicted in connection with a…
Allegations
The 2015 arrests centre on the alleged use of bribery, fraud and money laundering to corrupt the issuing of media and marketing rights for FIFA games in the Americas, estimated at $150 million, including at least $110 million in bribes related to the Copa América Centenario to be hosted in 2016 in the United States. 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 sponsorshi…
Timeline of events
In 2001, FIFA affiliate International Sports and Leisure went bankrupt in what were viewed in some circles as suspicious circumstances. In 2002 a FIFA whistleblower contacted British journalist Andrew Jennings relating to alleged corruption within FIFA itself.
Following investigations Swiss magistrate Thomas Hildbrand seized documents from FIFA offices in 2005 and in 2007 Jennings published a book – Foul – and broadcast the BBC Panoram…
Response to indictments
On 29 May 2015, Sepp Blatter won re-election to the FIFA presidency at the 65th FIFA Congress in Zurich amid growing criticism over his position. Four days later, however, he announced that he would continue as president only until a new election would be conducted at a 2016 FIFA Extraordinary Congress on 26 February 2016. Blatter said that he would not be a candidate for election at tha…
See also
• 2014 protests in Brazil: pointing and partially caused by widespread corruption on the 2014 FIFA World Cup
• 2015 Greek football scandal
• 2018 FIFA World Cup controversies
• ChangeFIFA
External links
• United States of America v. Jeffrey Webb, Eduardo Li, Julio Rocha, Costas Takkas, Jack Warner, Eugenio Figueredo, Rafael Esquivel, Jose Maria Marin, Nicolas Leoz, Alejandro Burzaco, Aaron Davidson, Hugo Jinkis, Mariano Jinkis, and Jose Margulies, aka Jose Lazaro, F.#2015R00747 (U.S. District Court – Brooklyn Office May 20, 2015)
• The FIFA Investigation, Explained