fabian ruiz fifa 22

Cases of corruption by officials and associates connected with FIFA

In 2024, United

States federal prosecutors disclosed cases of corruption by?? officials and associates

connected with the Fédération internationale de Football Association (FIFA), the

governing body of association football, futsal and?? beach soccer.

Near the end of May

2024, fourteen people were indicted in connection with an investigation by the United

States?? Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal

Investigation Division (IRS-CI) into wire fraud, racketeering, and money?? laundering.

The United States Attorney General simultaneously announced the unsealing of the

indictments and the prior guilty pleas by four?? football executives and two

corporations.

The investigation revolved around collusion between officials of

continental football bodies CONMEBOL (South America) and CONCACAF?? (Caribbean, Central

and North America), and sports marketing executives. The sports marketing executives

were holders of media and marketing rights?? for high-profile international competitions

including the Americas' FIFA World Cup qualifying tournaments, and showpiece

tournaments CONCACAF Gold Cup and Copa?? América.

CONCACAF President Jeffrey Webb, also

serving president of the Cayman Islands Football Association, was arrested in

connection with the investigation,?? as was former CONMEBOL President Nicolás Leoz, while

two sitting FIFA Executive Committee members were also arrested: Eduardo Li of?? the

Costa Rican Football Federation and Eugenio Figueredo, formerly of the Uruguayan

Football Association. The investigation lasted several years, with?? the first arrest, of

former CONCACAF president Jack Warner's son Daryll, made in July 2013.[1][2]

In total,

seven then-current FIFA officials?? were arrested at the Hotel Baur au Lac in Zürich on

27 May. They were preparing to attend the 65th?? FIFA Congress, which was scheduled to

include the election of the president of FIFA.[3] They were expected to be extradited

?? to the United States on suspicion of receiving US$150 million in bribes.[3] There was

also a simultaneous raid on the?? CONCACAF headquarters in Miami Beach,[4][5] and later,

two further men handed themselves in to police for arrest: Jack Warner and?? marketing

executive Alejandro Burzaco.[6][7] Two further arrests of FIFA officials at the hotel

occurred in December 2024.[8]

The arrests case triggered?? Australia,[9] Colombia,[10]

Costa Rica,[11] Germany[12] and Switzerland[13] to open or intensify separate criminal

investigations into top FIFA officials for corruption.

Allegations?? [ edit ]

The 2024

centre on the alleged use of bribery, fraud and money laundering to corrupt the issuing

of?? media and marketing rights for FIFA games in the Americas, estimated atR$150

million,[2] including at leastR$110 million in bribes related?? to the Copa América

Centenario to be hosted in 2024 in the United States.[14] The indictment handed down by

the?? U.S. District Court in Brooklyn, New York, alleges that bribery was used in an

attempt to influence clothing sponsorship contracts,?? the selection process for the 2010

FIFA World Cup host, and the 2011 FIFA presidential election.[2] Specifically, an

unnamed sports?? equipment company – identified in multiple sources as Nike,

Inc.[15][16][17] – is alleged to have paid at leastR$40 million in?? bribes to become the

sole provider of uniforms, footwear, accessories, and equipment to the Brazil national

team.[15]

In December 2010, federal?? law enforcement agents secured the undercover

cooperation of American football executive and CONCACAF official Chuck Blazer.[18] The

FBI's New York?? office had begun its probe as a spin-off of an unrelated organised crime

investigation, and in August 2011, IRS-CI's Los?? Angeles office began investigating

Blazer's alleged failure to file personal income tax returns.[19] In December 2011,

IRS-CI became aware of?? what the FBI was up to from news reports and the two offices

began a joint investigation of Blazer.[19]

They were?? investigating Blazer's involvement

in the bidding process for host countries for the FIFA World Cups from the early 1990s

onwards.?? The United States is one of five countries that broadly exercise worldwide

jurisdiction to tax the net income of its?? citizens from any source in the world. It

also requires taxpayers to report and pay tax on illegal income, and?? exercises

worldwide jurisdiction over all financial institutions with U.S.-based account holders.

Blazer agreed to cooperate almost immediately after two agents?? approached him in New

York and confronted him with proof of his tax crimes.[18]

In December 2010, Prince

William, Duke of?? Cambridge and British Prime Minister David Cameron attended a meeting

with FIFA vice-president Chung Mong-joon in which a vote-trading deal?? for the right to

host the 2024 World Cup was discussed.[20][21]

In November 2013, Blazer pleaded guilty

to 10 criminal charges?? including wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering, and offenses

involving income tax and banking. Blazer's guilty plea had aimed to stave?? off a more

serious charge of racketeering, which carried a potential 20-year prison sentence.

Blazer would later make secret recordings?? of meetings with FIFA officials, and

allegedly carried a recording device concealed in a keyring during the 2012 Summer

Olympics?? in London.[18] The information against Blazer (the charging document used in

lieu of an indictment for a plea bargain) was?? revealed on 27 May 2024, the same day

that the arrests were made in Zurich.[22][23]

In 2011, Phaedra Al-Majid, who was?? part

of the successful 2024 Qatari World Cup Bid, came forward as a whistle-blower. She

claimed that Qatar paidR$1.5 million?? to African Football Confederation president Issa

Hayatou, Ivory Coast FIFA member Jacques Anouma and Nigeria's suspended official Amos

Adamu to?? vote for Qatar; all three denied the allegations. She later stated that she

had fabricated her claims for media attention.[24][25]?? Al-Majid co-operated with the

Garcia Report.[26]

In November 2014, she stated that she was coerced into withdrawing

her allegations as she?? feared for her safety and due to her lack of legal

representation.[27] As of June 2024 , she was in?? FBI protective custody, when she

stated, "The FBI have everything... There are people who are annoyed with me [for

speaking?? out], and what really irks them is that I'm a female, Muslim whistleblower...

I just don't think Blatter actually intends?? to quit. Everything he does is very

calculated. He'll try very hard to save himself, I'm sure of it."[26]

In May?? 2011, The

Sunday Times published claims from a whistle-blower that President of CAF Issa Hayatou

had, along with fellow Executive?? Committee member Jacques Anouma, acceptedR$1.5 million

bribes from Qatar to secure his support for their bid for the 2024 FIFA?? World

Cup.[28]

In 2013, former FIFA President João Havelange and the Brazilian Football

Confederation President Ricardo Teixeira were both found to?? have taken bribes worth

millions of dollars. FIFA executive committee member Manilal Fernando was sanctioned

with a lifetime ban for?? bribery and corruption.[29][30]

$10 million South African

payment [ edit ]

In the wake of the corruption case, it was reported that?? in 2008 the

general secretary of FIFA, Jérôme Valcke was alleged to have transferredR$10 million

that had been given to?? FIFA by Danny Jordaan, president of the South African Football

Association, to accounts controlled by Jack Warner, then head of?? CONCACAF. The payment

is a key piece of the American prosecutors' indictment that accuses Warner of taking a

bribe in?? exchange for helping South Africa secure the right to host the 2010 FIFA World

Cup.[31]

The payment from the South African?? Football Association had been intended to

support the development of football in the Caribbean.R$1.6 million of the South African

payment?? was used by Warner to pay personal loans and credit cards and a

furtherR$360,000 was withdrawn by people connected to?? Warner. The Trinidadian

supermarket chain JTA Supermarkets also receivedR$4,860,000 from the FIFA

payment.[32]

Laws used in charging [ edit ]

The Department?? of Justice has not charged

anybody at FIFA with bribery. Prosecutors have instead alleged racketeering, wire

fraud, and money laundering?? conspiracies under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt

Organizations Act (RICO) Act, which was intended for use against the Mafia.[33] In

?? addition, officials have been charged with violations of the Travel Act. The relevant

part of the law essentially says that?? it is illegal to engage in interstate or foreign

travel, or use the mails or "any facility in interstate commerce"?? to promote, manage,

establish or carry on an illegal activity. That activity can be illegal under either

federal or state?? law.[34]

Bribery is definitely included on the list of what is

considered an illegal activity under the Travel Act. Any relevant?? transaction, even if

it is only tangentially related to America, can be targeted. In one instance, a

representative of First?? Caribbean International Bank in the Bahamas flew to New York to

pick up a cheque forR$250,000 (the alleged bribe) from?? the bribe recipient to transport

it safely back to the defendant's bank account.[34]

Swiss criminal inquiries [ edit

]

FIFA commissioned former?? United States Attorney Michael J. Garcia to investigate and

report on the bidding processes behind the awarding of the 2024?? FIFA World Cup to

Russia and the 2024 FIFA World Cup to Qatar. In November 2014, FIFA made a copy?? of

Garcia's report available to the Attorney General of Switzerland, who then stated that

there were "grounds for suspicion that,?? in isolated cases, international transfers of

assets with connections to Switzerland took place which merit examination by the

criminal prosecution?? authorities".[35]

Sepp Blatter had been president of FIFA since

1998 (until his removal in December 2024). The Guardian said that FIFA's?? actions would

"... inevitably be viewed with cynicism given Blatter's track record of using the Swiss

courts and FIFA's regulatory?? processes to kick problematic issues into the long grass

and deflect attention onto individuals who have already left football".[35]

In May

?? 2024, on the same day as the arrests resulting from the FBI's investigation and in a

separate action, the Swiss?? prosecuting authorities launched a criminal inquiry on

"suspicion of criminal mismanagement and of money laundering" concerning the 2024 and

2024?? bidding processes. The Swiss authorities seized "electronic data and documents" in

a raid on FIFA's Zürich headquarters.[36] The Swiss police?? also planned to question ten

members of the FIFA Executive Committee who participated in the December 2010 votes

that chose?? the hosts for the 2024 and 2024 world cups.[37]

In September 2024,

Switzerland began investigating a payment Blatter authorised in 2011?? to the president

of the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) Michel Platini for work done

between 1999 and 2002.[38]?? They also launched an investigation of possible "criminal

mismanagement" by Blatter in a 2005 TV rights deal he signed with?? Jack Warner. In March

2024, FIFA submitted 1300 pages of reports to the Swiss Attorney General's office.[39]

After investigation, in?? November 2024 Blatter and Platini were charged with fraud in

relation to the 2 million Swiss franc payment made from?? FIFA funds to Platini in

2011.[40]

Television rights [ edit ]

In September 2024, Swiss public television channel

SRF published that Blatter?? would have sold the 2010 and 2014 FIFA World Cup rights in

North America for US$600,000, a small fraction of?? their market value.[41]

Torneos &

Traffic (T&T) is a subsidiary of Fox International Channels since 2005[42] (with

investments since 2002). It?? is the same company involved in corrupt practices in the

acquisition of rights to major South American football tournaments.[43]

Indicted

individuals?? and corporations [ edit ]

A total of 18 individuals and two corporations

have been indicted, including nine FIFA officials and?? five businessmen.[2][44]

Initial

indictments [ edit ]

Individuals [ edit ]

Corporations [ edit ]

Name Nationality

Description Status Ref. Traffic Sports International Football?? events management company

and subsidiary of Traffic Group Guilty plea [2] Traffic Sports USA Football events

management company and subsidiary?? of Traffic Group Guilty plea [2]

Second indictment [

edit ]

The December indictment included the following 16 individuals:

Name Nationality

Position Status?? Ref. Former member of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee. Former CONCACAF

Executive Committee member [60] Former member of the FIFA Development?? Committee. Former

Peruvian soccer federation president. Arrested [60] Former member of the FIFA

Television and Marketing Committee. Former Honduran football?? federation president and

former president of the Republic of Honduras. Guilty Plea [60][61] Carlos Chávez Former

CONMEBOL treasurer. Former Bolivian?? football federation president. Arrested [60] Former

Ecuadorian football federation president and member of the CONMEBOL Executive

Committee. Arrested [60] Former?? CONMEBOL general secretary. [60] Former president of

the Brazilian football federation. [60] Former FIFA vice president and executive

committee member?? and CONCACAF president. Guilty Plea [60][52] Former Guatemalan

football federation president and member of the FIFA Committee for Fair Play?? and Social

Responsibility. Guilty Plea [60][62] Former CONMEBOL general secretary. Arrested [60]

Former FIFA vice president, Executive Committee member and?? CONMEBOL president,

Paraguayan football federation president. Arrested [60] Former member of the FIFA Audit

and Compliance Committee. Former CONMEBOL treasurer.?? Died [60] Former FIFA Executive

Committee member and Guatemalan football federation president. Guilty Plea [60] Former

Brazilian football federation president?? and FIFA Executive Committee member.[45] [60]

Former Guatemalan football federation general secretary and judge on the Constitutional

Court of Guatemala.?? Guilty Plea [60][63][64] Former Salvadoran football federation

president. Guilty Plea [60]

Timeline of events [ edit ]

Historical events leading to

the?? arrests [ edit ]

In 2001, FIFA affiliate International Sports and Leisure went

bankrupt in what were viewed in some circles?? as suspicious circumstances.[65] In 2002 a

FIFA whistleblower contacted British journalist Andrew Jennings relating to alleged

corruption within FIFA itself.[66]

Following?? investigations Swiss magistrate Thomas

Hildbrand seized documents from FIFA offices in 2005[65] and in 2007 Jennings published

a book –?? Foul – and broadcast the BBC Panorama documentary "The Beautiful Bung:

Corruption and the World Cup".[66] Panorama later aired the?? "Fifa and Co" documentary

in 2007, which contained an allegation of soliciting a bribe against Jack Warner and a

court?? judgement that Jérôme Valcke had lied in FIFA business dealings.[67] These

reports led the FBI to contact Jennings in 2009.[66]

On?? 29 November 2010 the BBC

broadcast FIFA's Dirty Secrets, a second documentary by Jennings.[66] This was aired

just days before?? the results of the 2024 and 2024 FIFA World Cup bids in Zurich,

Switzerland. Following the bidding process, FIFA announced?? that Russia and Qatar had

won the rights to stage the 2024 and 2024 World Cups respectively. The result

immediately?? caused controversies, as Russia is accused of a high level of racism in

football and because of its involvement in?? the 2014 Ukrainian crisis. After it was

announced that Russia would host the 2024 FIFA World Cup, Dr Rafal Pankowski,?? a head of

UEFA FARE Monitoring Centre, accused the Russian Football Union of downplaying racist

chants in stadiums.[68]

The annexation of?? Crimea by the Russian Federation in 2014 led

to several British and American politicians calling on FIFA to overturn its?? decision of

hosting the 2024 World Cup in Russia.[69] Criticism from a number of media outlets,

sporting experts, and human?? rights groups also highlighted problems such as Qatar's

limited football history, the high expected cost, the local climate, and Qatar's?? human

rights record.[70] Since in summer temperature will reach more than 50 °C (122 °F) in

Qatar, it was announced?? on 24 February 2024 that a winter world cup would go ahead in

favour of the traditional summertime event.

In 2011,?? former MI6 spy Christopher Steele

began providing information and sources to the FBI, which helped advance the

investigation.[71]

In May 2011?? a whistleblower later revealed to be Phaedra Almajid who

was a member of the Qatari bid team for the 2024?? World Cup, claimed that money was paid

to FIFA's executive committee in order to buy votes.[72] However, she retracted these

?? claims in July 2011,[73] later claiming that she had been coerced into making these

retractions.[27]

In May 2013, former CONCACAF executive?? Chuck Blazer was arrested (and

later indicted) on bribery charges. Jack Warner and Blazer were suspended from FIFA at

around?? the same time.[74] Then on 17 October 2014 FIFA announced that the Garcia Report

into alleged bribery during the 2024?? and 2024 FIFA World Cup bids could not be released

in full for legal reasons. Garcia later claimed that a?? summary of the report that was

released misrepresents his findings.[75]

Arrests [ edit ]

On the morning of 27 May

2024, seven?? FIFA officials were arrested just before the start of the 65th FIFA

Congress.[76] Two days later Sepp Blatter comfortably defeated?? Prince Ali bin Hussein

to remain as President of FIFA. David Gill threatened to resign his newly elected role

as?? FIFA Vice-president and member of the FIFA Executive Committee.[77] 41 arrests in

total had been made with both organizations and?? individuals being

arrested[78][79]

Within these arrests, 14 people have been convicted. Out of these 14,

there are 12 individuals and 2?? organisations.[78] They were all charged with things

like "racketeering, wire fraud, and money laundering conspiracies".[80][79] The

investigations continued with the?? chance of more arrests remaining likely, on which US

Attorney General Loretta Lynch[81] stated that the Department of Justice was?? aware that

there are more corrupt officials and organizations, and expressed its commitment to

catch all who were involved.[78]

May 2024?? [ edit ]

On 27 May 2024, during the FIFA

annual meeting at the Baur au Lac hotel in Zurich, authorities?? charged 14 officials,

including nine current or former FIFA executives, including FIFA vice-president Jeffrey

Webb. All faced extradition to the?? United States. On the same day, the Swiss attorney

general's office said that other FIFA executives were being questioned on?? suspicion of

"criminal mismanagement" and money laundering.[82]

June 2024 [ edit ]

On 2 June 2024 a

letter was published,[83] claiming that?? Jérôme Valcke was party to a potential bribe

paid to former FIFA executive Jack Warner in relation to votes for?? the 2010 FIFA World

Cup in South Africa. Despite his win just four days previously, Sepp Blatter announced

his resignation?? as FIFA President.[84]

The following day, South Africa sports minister

Fikile Mbalula denied theR$10 million payment to Warner was a bribe.

Later?? that day,

the FBI unsealed the transcript of the allocution made by former FIFA member and head

of CONCACAF, Chuck?? Blazer which he had made when he pleaded guilty in 2013 to various

charges as part of an apparent plea?? bargain. In Blazer's partially-redacted allocution,

he claimed that he "and others, while acting in our official capacities, agreed to

participate?? in a scheme to defraud FIFA and CONCACAF of the right to honest services by

taking undisclosed bribes" and that?? he had "agreed with others in or around 1992 to

facilitate the acceptance of a bribe in conjunction with the?? selection of the host

nation for the 1998 World Cup. I and others on the FIFA executive committee agreed to

?? accept bribes in conjunction with the selection of South Africa as the host nation for

the 2010 World Cup".[85]

On 6?? June, Phaedra Almajid, who had been placed under the

protective custody of the FBI, claimed that FIFA would be forced?? to strip Qatar from

hosting the 2024 World Cup.[26]

On 9 June, Italian-Argentinian Alejandro Burzaco was

arrested in Italy.[7] The two?? remaining Argentinian businessmen indicted, Hugo Jinkis

and Mariano Jinkis, surrendered to a court in Buenos Aires on 18 June.[54]

September

2024?? [ edit ]

On 17 September 2024, FIFA stated that Jérôme Valcke had been put on

leave and released from his?? duties until further notice.[86] The decision was made by

the FIFA Emergency Committee[87] after a series of allegations implicated Valcke?? of

selling World Cup tickets for above face value.[88]

On 25 September, criminal

proceedings were started against Blatter by Swiss prosecutors?? on suspicion of criminal

mismanagement and misappropriation. Blatter denied any wrongdoing.

October 2024 [ edit

]

On 8 October 2024, FIFA President?? Sepp Blatter, Secretary General Jerome Valcke and

UEFA President Michel Platini were suspended for 80 days by FIFA's Ethics

Committee.[90]?? Blatter appealed the suspension but lost the appeal on 18 November

2024.

November 2024 [ edit ]

German police searched the headquarters?? of the German

Football Association over allegations of illegal deals before the 2006 World Cup. The

head of president of?? the German Football Association, Wolfgang Niersbach, resigned.[12]

Marco Polo del Nero of Brazil, president of the Brazilian football federation announced

?? his resignation from FIFA Executive Committee on 26 November 2024.

December 2024 [ edit

]

On 3 December 2024, FIFA vice-presidents Alfredo?? Hawit and Juan Angel Napout were

arrested on suspicion of bribery in the same Zurich hotel where seven FIFA officials

?? had been arrested in May 2024.[91] Hours later, the U.S. Department of Justice revealed

an additional 16 indictments for criminal?? schemes; as well, former CONCACAF president

Jeffrey Webb pleaded guilty to money laundering, wire fraud and racketeering.[60]

On 21

December, the?? FIFA Ethics Committee banned both Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini for

eight years from all football-related activity organised by FIFA?? after being found

guilty of a £1.3 million ($2 million) "disloyal payment" made to Platini in 2011.

Blatter said he?? would appeal the verdict.[92]

January 2024 [ edit ]

On 9 January 2024,

the FIFA Emergency Committee decided to dismiss Jérôme Valcke?? as FIFA Secretary General

and to terminate his employment relationship.[93]

February 2024 [ edit ]

On 26 February

2024, an extraordinary FIFA?? Congress was held and elected UEFA Secretary General Gianni

Infantino as the new president of FIFA while also passing a?? major reform

package.[94]

Response to indictments [ edit ]

FIFA [ edit ]

Media in front of FIFA

headquarters after Blatter's resignation

On 29?? May 2024, Sepp Blatter won re-election

to the FIFA presidency at the 65th FIFA Congress in Zurich amid growing criticism?? over

his position. Four days later, however, he announced that he would continue as

president only until a new election?? would be conducted at a 2024 FIFA Extraordinary

Congress[95] on 26 February 2024. Blatter said that he would not be?? a candidate for

election at that time. Blatter maintained "I did not resign, I put myself and my office

in?? the hands of the FIFA congress."[96]

Upon the decision of the FIFA Adjudicatory

Chamber of the Independent Ethics Committee to provisionally?? ban Blatter, FIFA

recognised Issa Hayatou as the interim president of FIFA in accordance with article 32

(6) of the?? FIFA Statutes.[97]

Suspended World Cup bid [ edit ]

On 10 June 2024, FIFA

announced that they would be delaying the 2026?? FIFA World Cup bidding process, amidst

allegations surrounding bribery in the 2024 and 2024 World Cup bidding processes.

Secretary-general Valcke?? stated that "Due to the situation, I think it's nonsense to

start any bidding process for the time being."[98] Furthermore,?? FIFA announced the host

selection for the 2026 World Cup would be postponed until 2024.[99]

Convicted

defendants [ edit ]

According to?? the US Department of Justice web site, the following

defendants previously pleaded guilty under seal and agreed to forfeit more?? thanR$40

million.[45]

On 26 May 2024, Zorana Danis, the co-founder and owner of International

Soccer Marketing Inc., a New Jersey-based sports?? marketing company, waived indictment

and pleaded guilty to a two-count information charging her with wire fraud conspiracy

and filing false?? tax returns. As part of her plea, Danis agreed to forfeitR$2

million.

On 9 November 2024, Fabio Tordin, the former CEO?? of Traffic Sports USA Inc.

and currently an executive with Media World LLC, a Miami-based sports marketing

company, waived indictment?? and pleaded guilty to a four-count information charging him

with three counts of wire fraud conspiracy and one count of?? tax evasion. As part of his

plea, Tordin agreed to forfeit more thanR$600,000.

On 12 November 2024, Luis Bedoya, a

member?? of the FIFA Executive Committee, a CONMEBOL vice president and the president of

the Federación Colombiana de Fútbol, the Colombian?? soccer federation, waived indictment

and pleaded guilty to a two-count information charging him with racketeering conspiracy

and wire fraud conspiracy.?? As part of his plea, Bedoya agreed to forfeit all funds on

deposit in his Swiss bank account, among other?? funds.

On 16 November 2024, Alejandro

Burzaco, the former general manager and chairman of the board of Torneos y Competencias

S.A.,?? an Argentinian sports marketing company, pleaded guilty to racketeering

conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy. As part of?? his plea,

Burzaco agreed to forfeit more thanR$21.6 million. [100]

On 17 November 2024, Roger

Huguet, the CEO of Media World?? and its parent company, waived indictment and pleaded

guilty to a three-count information charging him with two counts of wire?? fraud

conspiracy and one count of money laundering conspiracy. As part of his plea, Huguet

agreed to forfeit more thanR$600,000.

On?? 23 November 2024, Jeffrey Webb, a former FIFA

vice president and executive committee member, CONCACAF president, Caribbean Football

Union executive?? committee member and Cayman Islands Football Association president,

pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy, three counts of wire fraud conspiracy and

?? three counts of money laundering conspiracy. As part of his plea, Webb agreed to

forfeit more thanR$6.7 million.

On 23 November?? 2024, Sergio Jadue, a vice president of

CONMEBOL and, until last month, the president of the Asociación Nacional de Fútbol

?? Profesional de Chile, the Chilean soccer federation, waived indictment and pleaded

guilty to a two-count information charging him with racketeering?? conspiracy and wire

fraud conspiracy. As part of his plea, Jadue agreed to forfeit all funds on deposit in

his?? U.S. bank account, among other funds.

On 25 November 2024, José Margulies, the

controlling principal of Valente Corp. and Somerton Ltd,?? who served as an intermediary

who facilitated illicit payments between sports marketing executives and soccer

officials, pleaded guilty to racketeering?? conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, and two

counts of money laundering conspiracy. As part of his plea, Margulies agreed to forfeit

?? more thanR$9.2 million.[45]

Governmental [ edit ]

The AFC (Asia) stated that it is

"against any form of corruption in football and?? fully supports any actions taken by the

independent FIFA Ethics Committee where wrongdoing may have occurred, whether such

actions affect?? Asian officials or otherwise." Moreover, it opposed postponing the FIFA

Congress and reiterated its support for Blatter. [113]

CONCACAF (North America,?? Central

America and Caribbean) stated that it "is deeply concerned by today's developments, in

the arrest of several international football?? officials including those belonging to our

Confederation. The Confederation will continue to cooperate with the authorities to its

fullest capacity.?? At present, CONCACAF is not in a position to comment further on the

specific allegations, which have been referred to?? the appropriate legal counsel through

the pertinent channels. CONCACAF continues to operate in the ordinary course of

business, hosting all?? of its upcoming tournaments in a successful and timely manner,

including the 2024 CONCACAF Gold Cup." [114]

CONMEBOL (South America) –?? The South

American Football Confederation issued a resolution to "repudiate all acts of

corruption, and unreservedly support the investigations initiated?? toward FIFA,

CONMEBOL, CONCACAF, and other organizations regarding alleged wrongdoing," and "will

agree to collaborate openly and emphatically with such?? investigations." [115]

UEFA

(Europe) stated: "[t]hese events show, once again, that corruption is deeply rooted in

FIFA's culture. There is a?? need for the whole of FIFA to be 'rebooted' and for a real

reform to be carried out."[116] UEFA president?? Michel Platini explicitly demanded

Blatter to step down before his re-election.[117]

In October 2024, four major FIFA

sponsors, Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Visa?? and Budweiser, called for Blatter to stand down

immediately as FIFA president.[126]

Interpol [ edit ]

On 12 June 2024, an international

?? law enforcement agency Interpol announced it was suspending a 20 million euro donation

by FIFA to fund an anti-gambling and?? match-fixing program. Four million euros were

spent in the first two years on prevention and education and another 1.5 million?? euros

was set to be spent in the remaining eight years.[127]

An Interpol spokesman said, "The

agreement with FIFA includes a?? clause which states that 'the Funding Party declares

notably that its activities are compatible with the principles, aims and activities?? of

Interpol'. All external partners, whether public or private, must share the fundamental

values and principles of the organisation, as?? well as the wider law enforcement

community."[128]

FIFA said it was disappointed by the decision.[129]

The donation for

the 10-year Integrity in?? Sport program was originally accepted in 2011 by former

Interpol Secretary-General Ronald Noble.[130]

See also [ edit ]