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Tuesday, March 19, 2024
March 19, 2024

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Swiss authorities arrest FIFA officials, extradition to U.S. possible

The Columbian
Published:

LOS ANGELES-The U.S. Justice Department is expected to bring federal corruption charges against as many as 14 high-ranking members of world soccer’s governing body Wednesday, following a three-year FBI investigation that could cripple Sepp Blatter’s run for a fifth term as FIFA president.

According to CNN, an indictment against the FIFA officials will be unsealed in a New York courtroom.

Swiss authorities, acting on the request of U.S. law enforcement, descended on a tony resort in Zurich overnight Wednesday to arrest several of those expected to be charged. The officials, who were attending FIFA’s annual meeting, were to be extradited to the U.S., according to The New York Times, which first reported the arrests.

The names of those charged were not released but the charges are said to include wire fraud, racketeering and money laundering, according to the Times. Messages left for FIFA spokeswoman Delia Fischer were not immediately returned.

The arrests come at a particularly bad time for the beleaguered Blatter, whose 17-year reign as FIFA’s leader has been plagued by charges of corruption, bribery and a lack of transparency. The presidency of 79-year-old Blatter is being challenged by Jordanian royal Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, a reformist candidate, in a vote scheduled for Friday.

Blatter was investigated but is not expected to be named in the indictment. However, officials told CNN the probe is not complete, leaving open the possibility Blatter could be charged later.

The Justice Department has sweeping authority under federal law to file charges against foreign nationals whose only connection to the country may be a U.S. bank account. U.S. officials could also claim jurisdiction because American companies have paid billions to FIFA for broadcast fees.

FIFA’s size and global reach may also help U.S. officials. The organization, which stages major soccer events such as the World Cup, is richer than most multinational companies, holding more than $1.5 billion in reserve.

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