FIFA just got F’d in the A by the United States Department of Justice.
According to both the Wall Street Journal and New York Times, the United States government has issued the arrests for a number of high ranking FIFA officials for a slew of charges including racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy. In addition to the FIFA officials, sports marketing executives have also been named in an indictment.
Here’s that list of the those who had the hammer brought down on them by the DOJ (via Deadspin):
- Jeffrey Webb (Cayman Islands) – President of CONCACAF, member of FIFA Executive Committee
- Eugenio Figueredo (Uruguay) – President of CONMEBOL, member of FIFA Executive Committee
- Jack Warner (Trinida and Tobago) – President of CONCACAF from 1990 to 2011, former FIFA vice-president
- Eduardo Li (Costa Rica) – President of the Costa Rican Football Federation, CONCACAF representative to FIFA
- Julio Rocha (Nicaragua) – President of the Nicaraguan Football Federation, FIFA development officer
- Costas Takkas (Cayman Islands) – Former general secretary of the Cayman Islands Football Association
- Rafael Esquivel (Venezuela) – President of the Venezuelan Football Federation since 1988, member of the FIFA disciplinary committee
- José Maria Marin (Brazil) – President of the Brazilian Football Confederation from 2012 to 2015, president of the 2014 FIFA World Cup committee
- Nicolás Leoz (Paraguay) – President of CONMEBOL from 1986 to 2013
And five sports marketing execs:
- Alejandro Burzaco (Argentina) – CEO of Torneos y Competencias, which owns various sports television channels and broadcasted Argentine domestic football matches from 1992 to 2009, and the 2006 World Cup
- Aaron Davidson (United States) – President of Traffic Sports USA, which organizes and handles marketing for a variety of CONCACAF soccer events, like World Cup Qualifying and the Gold Cup. Chairman of the Board of the North American Soccer League, the soccer tier below MLS
- Hugo Jinkis (Argentina) – President of Full Play, which owns some sort of rights (I am unclear which ones) to hundreds of South American soccer matches
- Mariano Jinkis (Argentina) – CEO of Full Play, which owns some sort of rights (I am unclear which ones) to hundreds of South American soccer matches
- José Margulies (Unknown) – Margulies is somehow involved with Traffic Sports
Additionally here’s the indictment the New York Times reportedly got their hands on which brought fourth the names listed above:
The indictment names 14 people on charges including racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering conspiracy. In addition to senior soccer officials, the indictment is also expected to name sports-marketing executives from the United States and South America who are accused of paying more than $150 million in bribes and kickbacks in exchange for media deals associated with major soccer tournaments, according to one government official briefed on the matter.
The FIFA officials were arrested by Swiss authorities in Zurich at the request of the United States Department of Justice. These arrests were apparently made as these officials were in Zurich for FIFA’s annual conference, which was in part to elect a new president for the organization. That election was expected to bring fourth the reelection of Sepp Blatter for a fifth consecutive four-year term who hasn’t been brought up on charges (yet) but has mentioned in the past is reluctancy to enter the United States on a fear of being arrested.
The corruption charges stemming from the racketeering, money laundering conspiracy and wire fraud likely stem from Russia and Qatar being awarded the 2018 and 2022 World Cups respectively. The United States has been able to extend their long arm of the law to Switzerland based on an extradition treaty between the two countries and the United State’s suspicion that much of these dealings under investigation involved US citizens (Aaron Davidson) and US based banks.
The New York Times explains in more depth how the US Government was able to get themselves involved in the international matter:
United States law gives the Justice Department wide authority to bring cases against foreign nationals living abroad, an authority that prosecutors have used repeatedly in international terrorism cases. Those cases can hinge on the slightest connection to the United States, like the use of an American bank or Internet service provider.
Switzerland’s treaty with the United States is unusual in that it gives Swiss authorities the power to refuse extradition for tax crimes, but on matters of general criminal law, the Swiss have agreed to turn people over for prosecution in American courts.
As far as things go right now, the World Cups in Russia and Qatar are on as scheduled. This could also be said for the Presidential election scheduled for Friday that will undoubtedly name Blatter to another term. What this means for the long-term future of soccer and FIFA’s dealings is yet to be seen however it’s a big first step in bringing fourth some real change in the sport when it comes to it’s Worldly overload.
