Six football officials have been arrested at a hotel in Zurich, Switzerland, over corruption charges at governing body Fifa, officials say. The suspects, who are said to include a Fifa vice-president, have been detained pending extradition to the US. The charges include money laundering, racketeering and wire fraud. Fifa members are gathering in Zurich for their annual meeting on Friday, where incumbent President Sepp Blatter is seeking a fifth term. However, Mr Blatter is not understood to be one of those arrested. 'Seeking clarification' The New York Times says plain-clothed police officers took the room keys from the reception of Baur au Lac hotel, where the officials were staying, and headed to their rooms. It said the operation was carried out peacefully. Fifa Vice-President Jeffrey Webb has been named as one of the officials arrested, says the BBC's Richard Conway, who is at the Zurich hotel. Mr Webb is head of the confederation for North and Central America and the Caribbean. New York Times reporter Michael Schmidt said he also saw Fifa official Eduardo Li of Costa Rica being led by the authorities from his room out of the building. A Fifa spokesman said the organisation was seeking to clarify the situation. The Swiss Federal Office of Justice (FOJ) said in a statement on Wednesday that US authorities suspected the officials of receiving $100m worth of bribes since the early 1990s. The crimes were agreed to and prepared in the US via US bank accounts, it adds. Swiss authorities can immediately approve the extradition, the statement continues. The BBC has learned that Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein of Jordan - Sepp Blatter's rival for Fifa presidency - and his advisers will meet later on Wednesday to discuss the impact of the arrests on the presidential election this Friday. Earlier this month, Mr Blatter said he was aware some of his former colleagues were under investigation.
Can only hope the US authorities get the bt between the teeth on this one. Looks like it is just North and South American officials atm but you can only hope. Tepflon Sepp will no doubt escape squeaky clean I suspect.
New York Times seems to have the scoop. Their reporters were there. Seems FIFA have upset someone in the States so now they have an opponent as big and as rich as them. Interesting times.
The law enforcement 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.
It's worth repeating here just in case anyone with a passing interest hasn't read it yet - but 'Foul!' by Andrew Jennings is a brilliant (if depressing) read. The material on Jack Warner is utterly incredible - concacaf make Blatter look like a choirboy in comparison
It's worth repeating here just in case anyone with a passing interest hasn't read it yet - but 'Foul!' by Andrew Jennings is a brilliant (if depressing) read. The material on Jack Warner is utterly incredible - concacaf make Blatter look like a choirboy in comparison
Surely with this happening on Blatter's watch, his position must now be untenable. Great timing by the FBI or whoever is in charge of the investigation with the election in the next few days.
The timing surely no co-incidence. Is it possible that unhappy sponsors are behind this in some way, and have funded investigations the results of which were laid before the US authorities? This way they can preserve their links with football undamaged, whilst ensuing that the untouchables at Fifa are now placed nicely in the cross-hairs.
It's only a start, but could be the shifting of the first few boulders in what will become an avalanche (or perhaps in the context we can call it a Havelange). Just a shame that a collateral beneficiary in Fifa's unravelling is likely to be Mickey P and the Uefa gang.
Knowing Switzetland fairly well I can only imagine this would have happened after a) huge pressure from the States, and b) overwhelming evidence against the accused.
Hopefully at least one of them will make a deal with the authorities and give provide evidence a comprehensive view of corruption within FIFA.
Classic take down of a criminal organisation, arrest a group of capos and wait for one of them to flip on the don. Chickens may well be coming home to roost, and what fat chickens they are.
Classic take down of a criminal organisation, arrest a group of capos and wait for one of them to flip on the don. Chickens may well be coming home to roost, and what fat chickens they are.
It's worth repeating here just in case anyone with a passing interest hasn't read it yet - but 'Foul!' by Andrew Jennings is a brilliant (if depressing) read. The material on Jack Warner is utterly incredible - concacaf make Blatter look like a choirboy in comparison
Classic take down of a criminal organisation, arrest a group of capos and wait for one of them to flip on the don. Chickens may well be coming home to roost, and what fat chickens they are.
You can say that again Kent!
Classic wait for them all to be in one place and then BOOM! And whilst they're on a jolly too. Beautiful.
Can't wait to see the pictures of them all being led away, handcuffed, wearing orange boiler suits and hoods over their heads.
It's encouraging but there's a part of me that feels somehow they will squirm out of any charges. The dream of Blatter toppling and falling hard is someway off.
Nothing will happen to Blatter. He has enough votes from the other penny-ante confederations to get him through anything - FIFA have been lining the pockets of third world football associations for years. He'll hide behind plausible deniability and they won't be able to lay a finger on him - mark my words.
If what I read about Webb is correct, then Blatter wants shot of him anyway as he was making thinly veiled references to not 'guaranteeing' support to Blatter from concacaf.
Don't be surprised if Blatter or his underlings are behind all this - leaking information about shady goings-on (which of course dear old Sepp knew nothing about) in order to throw the US authorities off the scent. Chuck them some high-ranking FIFA officials as a trophy and show it as FIFA 'cleaning up its act' hm-whilst getting rid of some rivals into the bargain. Classic Blatter
IF and I mean IF Blatter is ever arrested and charged I bet they will pull out he is too ill to stand excuse. The man, in a world where there is much wrong, epitomises greed and filth like few others.
The marshals are heading for Shawshank's warden but they'll never take ol' Seppy alive ....
In such a tightly-knit mob like Fifa, deniability is not the easiest of cards to play because ignorance and lack of supervision betoken wilful negligence on a monumental scale.
Any self-respecting politician, and there are some, would have resigned long ago. However, Blatter dare not - enough mud will surely stick this time, though, and this classic manoeuvre by the authorities includes extreme time pressure. No doubt the janitor at the Baur au Lac has ordered emergency stocks of Andrex ....
So some Fifa officials have been arrested on suspicion of corruption within Fifa. This is the most shocking revelation since Tom Daley announced he was gay!
Comments
Six football officials have been arrested at a hotel in Zurich, Switzerland, over corruption charges at governing body Fifa, officials say.
The suspects, who are said to include a Fifa vice-president, have been detained pending extradition to the US.
The charges include money laundering, racketeering and wire fraud.
Fifa members are gathering in Zurich for their annual meeting on Friday, where incumbent President Sepp Blatter is seeking a fifth term.
However, Mr Blatter is not understood to be one of those arrested.
'Seeking clarification'
The New York Times says plain-clothed police officers took the room keys from the reception of Baur au Lac hotel, where the officials were staying, and headed to their rooms. It said the operation was carried out peacefully.
Fifa Vice-President Jeffrey Webb has been named as one of the officials arrested, says the BBC's Richard Conway, who is at the Zurich hotel. Mr Webb is head of the confederation for North and Central America and the Caribbean.
New York Times reporter Michael Schmidt said he also saw Fifa official Eduardo Li of Costa Rica being led by the authorities from his room out of the building.
A Fifa spokesman said the organisation was seeking to clarify the situation.
The Swiss Federal Office of Justice (FOJ) said in a statement on Wednesday that US authorities suspected the officials of receiving $100m worth of bribes since the early 1990s. The crimes were agreed to and prepared in the US via US bank accounts, it adds.
Swiss authorities can immediately approve the extradition, the statement continues.
The BBC has learned that Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein of Jordan - Sepp Blatter's rival for Fifa presidency - and his advisers will meet later on Wednesday to discuss the impact of the arrests on the presidential election this Friday.
Earlier this month, Mr Blatter said he was aware some of his former colleagues were under investigation.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/27/sports/soccer/fifa-officials-face-corruption-charges-in-us.html?_r=0
The law enforcement 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.
Let's hope so - Qatar might start to get worried.
The timing surely no co-incidence. Is it possible that unhappy sponsors are behind this in some way, and have funded investigations the results of which were laid before the US authorities? This way they can preserve their links with football undamaged, whilst ensuing that the untouchables at Fifa are now placed nicely in the cross-hairs.
It's only a start, but could be the shifting of the first few boulders in what will become an avalanche (or perhaps in the context we can call it a Havelange). Just a shame that a collateral beneficiary in Fifa's unravelling is likely to be Mickey P and the Uefa gang.
Hopefully at least one of them will make a deal with the authorities and give provide evidence a comprehensive view of corruption within FIFA.
Classic wait for them all to be in one place and then BOOM! And whilst they're on a jolly too. Beautiful.
Can't wait to see the pictures of them all being led away, handcuffed, wearing orange boiler suits and hoods over their heads.
If what I read about Webb is correct, then Blatter wants shot of him anyway as he was making thinly veiled references to not 'guaranteeing' support to Blatter from concacaf.
Don't be surprised if Blatter or his underlings are behind all this - leaking information about shady goings-on (which of course dear old Sepp knew nothing about) in order to throw the US authorities off the scent. Chuck them some high-ranking FIFA officials as a trophy and show it as FIFA 'cleaning up its act' hm-whilst getting rid of some rivals into the bargain. Classic Blatter
Football - The People's Game.
The marshals are heading for Shawshank's warden but they'll never take ol' Seppy alive ....
In such a tightly-knit mob like Fifa, deniability is not the easiest of cards to play because ignorance and lack of supervision betoken wilful negligence on a monumental scale.
Any self-respecting politician, and there are some, would have resigned long ago. However, Blatter dare not - enough mud will surely stick this time, though, and this classic manoeuvre by the authorities includes extreme time pressure.
No doubt the janitor at the Baur au Lac has ordered emergency stocks of Andrex ....