FIFA arrests: top officials arrested on charges of wire fraud, racketeering and money laundering

[JD-Roo]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/f...money-laundering/story-fni2wcjl-1227371402996

Haven't seen this anywhere on the boards yet. Of interest to anyone who follows sport.

The exact number of arrests isn’t known, but the New York Times reports that prosecutors will unseal an indictment against more than 10 officials in what is shaping up as the first step in exposing corruption allegations that have plagued FIFA for years.

President Sepp Blatter - who is set to win a fifth term in office - was not one of the individuals charged, police confirmed, but members of FIFA’s executive committee have been targeted. It is a huge blow to FIFA’s reputation ahead of the presidential elections.

EDIT:
From the other paper:
http://www.theage.com.au/sport/socc...tigation-into-corruption-20150527-gharcc.html

"We're struck by just how long this went on for and how it touched nearly every part of what FIFA did," said a law enforcement official. "It just seemed to permeate every element of the federation and was just their way of doing business. It seems like this corruption was institutionalised."

 

[Magma]

shame when it's not even a surprise to see this.

the sport is full of corruption. whether anything actually happens to these guys remains to be seen. always seem to slime their way out

 

[moomba]

There was a story I put on here months ago about Chuck Blazer becoming an informant. Guessing it has to do with thst.

Will be watching eagerly with the popcorn.

 

[ADL9798]

Yep. No surprise and about time those involved were brought to account. Unfortunate that Blatter wasn't caught in the net.

 

[Latro]

Jack Warner one of the officials involved

 

[Magma]

jeffery webb another

 

[Satan]

Nice way of doing a runner and not paying the hotel bill

 

[wobblypunt]

About time. Too many fatcats at FIFA with dirty hands. Surely Blatter's position is untenable (if he isn't going to be arrested anyway).

Game has to recover from this with a whole new approach to the way rights to tournaments are awarded and transparency is a priority.

Qatar 2022 looking on the rocks and it surely cannot go ahead as I imagine the outcry against it will reach saturation within the seven years before it kicks off.

 

[Calcium Man]

FIFA corrupt, never saw that coming.

 

[Calcium Man]

About time. Too many fatcats at FIFA with dirty hands. Surely Blatter's position is untenable (if he isn't going to be arrested anyway).

Game has to recover from this with a whole new approach to the way rights to tournaments are awarded and transparency is a priority.

Qatar 2022 looking on the rocks and it surely cannot go ahead as I imagine the outcry against it will reach saturation within the seven years before it kicks off.

Bwhahahaha Sepp will hold onto power until they pry it from his cold dead hands.

Qatar will still go ahead, they keep sweeping everything under the rug even as it spills out the sides and then just ignore it.

 

[Slax]

Blatter just lost 6 votes for his re-election campaign. This is all beginning to unravel for Blatter and QATAR 2022. I'd be betting that these guys would be willing to dump Blatter and Qatar in it to save their own backsides from going to jail.

I've said before, there has already been advanced contingency planning for 2022 WC to be moved to USA. The pure logistics make it madness not to, they already have the stadiums, infrastructure and experience in holding such events. Even if this takes 2 years to go through the motions, you could get a WC up and running in the USA inside 18 months without a problem.

 

[Magma]

blatter's untouchable. his position has been untenable for at least 10 years

the only way he loses power is in jail.

 

[Slax]

Bwhahahaha Sepp will hold onto power until they pry it from his cold dead hands.

Qatar will still go ahead, they keep sweeping everything under the rug even as it spills out the sides and then just ignore it.

Sepp has been sweeping everything under the carpet for too long, now he is losing all his cleaners and those replacing them don't want to be tainted with the same brush. He is losing his grip on power slowly and the money trail will lead to him or his family and from there it is all over.

 

[moomba]

Hold the world cup in usa and see if blatter is willing to make the trip over. He knows what will happen if he does.

 

[Sprout]

Shocking revelation.

 

[Satan]

I am shocked to be reading this

 

[Magma]

The official said the soccer officials charged are Jeffrey Webb, Eugenio Figueredo, Jack Warner, Eduardo Li, Julio Rocha, Costas Takkas, Rafael Esquivel, José Maria Marin and Nicolás Leoz.

Charges were also expected against the sports-marketing executives Alejandro Burzaco, Aaron Davidson, Hugo Jinkis and Mariano Jinkis. Authorities also charged José Margulies as an intermediary who facilitated illegal payments.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/27/s...-news&WT.nav=top-news&smid==tw-nytsports&_r=0

 

[CountryRace]

makes hird/dank look clean

 

[Dan Cooper]

HUGE BREAKING STORY

FIFA Officials Arrested on Corruption Charges

ZURICH — Swiss authorities conducted an extraordinary early-morning operation here Wednesday to arrest several top soccer officials and extradite them to the United States on federal corruption charges.

As leaders of FIFA, soccer’s global governing body, gathered for their annual meeting, more than a dozen plain-clothed Swiss law enforcement officials arrived unannounced at the Baur au Lac hotel, an elegant five-star property with views of the Alps and Lake Zurich. They went to the front desk to get keys and proceeded upstairs to the rooms.

The charges allege widespread corruption in FIFA over the past two decades, involving bids for World Cups as well as marketing and broadcast deals, according to three law enforcement officials with direct knowledge of the case.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/27/s...ption-charges-in-us.html?smid=tw-nytimes&_r=0

 

[BORK]

* FIFA right in the pussy.

 

[BORK]

When will the "shocked to be sitting here" press conference happen.

 

[Magma]

Richard Conway ‏@richard_conway 3m3 minutes ago

Hearing reports Fifa president Sepp Blatter is lobbying delegates for a postponement of Friday's presidential election. Unconfirmed.

 

[Old_Man_James]

Hopefully this puts a dent in Sepp's election chances.

He truly is the Robert Mugabe of Sports administrators.

 

[Mead]

To be extradited to the United States to face racketeering charges because their bribes went into US banks. That's the sort of thing you can spend decades in jail for.

This is simply the best piece of news in world footballing history. Finally.

I feel a slow clap is in order for our seppo friends.

 

[moomba]

This is the Chuck Blazer story from a few months ago I mentioned.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/s...-chuck-blazer-fbi-informant-article-1.1995761