US indicts nine FIFA officials in corruption probe

14 officials were charged with a bribery and kickback scheme that spanned 24 years

NEW YORK: The US Justice Department announced conspiracy and corruption charges against nine FIFA officials and five business executives on Wednesday, after Swiss authorities arrested seven suspects based on the indictments.

The 14 officials and executives were charged with a bribery and kickback scheme that spanned a 24-year period.

The Justice Department revealed that four individuals and two companies have already pleaded guilty, in a case that has rocked football’s world governing body.

“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,” said US Attorney General Loretta Lynch.

At the same time as the indictments were unsealed, authorities raided the Miami headquarters of the CONCACAF soccer association, which coordinates the sport in North and Central America and the Caribbean.

According to the Justice Department, the defendants include FIFA vice president Jeffrey Webb, executive committee member and CONCACAF president Eduardo Li, FIFA executive committee member-elect and CONCACAF executive committee member Julio Rocha, FIFA development officer Costas Takkas, attache to the CONCACAF president and former FIFA vice president and ex-CONCACAF president Jack Warner.

Others arrested are: current FIFA vice president and executive committee member Eugenio Figueredo, current CONMEBOL executive committee member Rafael Esquivel, current member of the FIFA organizing committee for the Olympics Jose Maria Marin and former FIFA executive committee member Nicolas Leoz.

The sports marketing executives charged include: controlling principal of Torneos y Competencias Alejandro Burzaco, President of Traffic Sports USA Inc. Aaron Davidson and controlling principals of Full Play Group Hugo and Mariano Jinkis.

The four who have pleaded guilty are: former FIFA development officer and son of Jack Warner, Daryll Warner, the former CONCACAF president Daryan Warner, former CONCACAF general secretary Charles Blazer and former FIFA executive committee member and owner of the Brazilian sports marketing Traffic Group Jose Hawilla.

The seven arrested in Zurich are: Webb, Li, Rocha, Takkas, Figueredo, Esquivel and Marin. 

Published in The Express Tribune, May 28^th,  2015.

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