Two High Ranking FIFA Officials Arrested for Allegedly Accepting Bribes Worth Millions of Dollars

 

Two high-ranking Fifa officials have been arrested in dawn raids at a Swiss hotel on suspicion of accepting millions of dollars of bribes.

BBC News reported that the Police swooped on the suspects at the luxury Baur au Lac hotel in Zurich. The fresh raids come as police in Switzerland, where the Fifa HQ is located, and in the US are investigating current and former senior football officials on charges including racketeering, money laundering and fraud.

Fifa have confirmed further arrests had been made.A statement said: 

Fifa became aware of the actions taken today by the US Department of Justice.“Fifa will continue to cooperate fully with the US investigation as permitted by Swiss law, as well as with the investigation being led by the Swiss Office of the Attorney General.”

In May, seven Fifa officials were arrested at the same hotel at the request of US authorities as the organisation was engulfed by claims of widespread corruption.

The two people arrested overnight are alleged to have taken money for selling marketing rights in connection with football tournaments in Latin America, as well as World Cup qualifying matches.
They are being held in custody pending their extradition [to the US]. According to the US arrest requests, they are suspected of accepting bribes of millions of dollars.

Two of the seven Fifa officials arrested in May, Jeffrey Webb and Jose Maria Marin, have agreed to be extradited to the US to face charges.
The other five opposed extradition and are awaiting appeals against the move.

  

Fifa president Sepp Blatter and Uefa president Michel Platini, a Fifa vice president, are currently suspended for 90 days after the Swiss attorney general opened criminal proceedings against Blatter.

Fifa suspended the pair in October while Fifa's ethics committee investigates corruption claims against them. The case involved £1.35million money Blatter approved for the Platini in 2011 as backdated salary.