US officials investigating corruption within FIFA have arrested 16 more officials including a former head of the Brazilian Football Federation.
In May, under instruction from the US Department of Justice, 14 officials were arrested and charged in Switzerland as the scale of corruption comes to the surface.
Investigations into the awarding of the 2018 World Cup to Russia and 2022 to Qatar triggered the arrests amid claims that votes were bought for cash while other countries spent fortunes on failed bids.
Former Brazil football federation chief Ricardo Teixeira was among those accused of being “involved in criminal schemes involving well over $200m (£132m) in bribes and kickbacks”.
US attorney general Loretta Lynch said: “The betrayal of trust set forth here is outrageous. The scale of corruption alleged herein is unconscionable.
“And the message from this announcement should be clear to every culpable individual who remains in the shadows, hoping to evade our investigation: you will not wait us out; you will not escape our focus.”
The current and former senior football executives charged are:
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Alfredo Hawit – Concacaf president
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Ariel Alvarado – ex-Panamanian football official
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Rafael Callejas – former president of Honduras football
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Brayan Jimenez – Guatemala FA chief
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Rafael Salguero – Guatemalan Fifa executive committee member
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Hector Trujillo – general secretary of Guatemala FA
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Reynaldo Vasquez – former El Salvador FA president
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Juan Angel Napout – Conmebol president
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Manuel Burga – former Peru FA president
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Carlos Chavez – Bolivia football president
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Luis Chiriboga – Ecuador football president
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Marco Polo del Nero – Brazil football president
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Eduardo Deluca – Conmebol general secretary
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Jose Luis Meiszner – former Conmebol secretary general
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Romer Osuna – Bolivia football audit and compliance committee chief
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Ricardo Teixeira – former Brazil FA chief
UEFA President Michel Platini had hoped to replace Sepp Blatter in charge of FIFA but his hopes appear dead in the water after he was suspended by FIFA as they investigate payments made to him from FIFA.
A wish the US department of justice, would investigate the SFA, plenty of corruption there.
HH
Why can’t UEFA investigate?
For the same reason you can’t trust Sevco to investigate themselves …
The Scandal and Shame that comes out of Ibrox is one the biggest, if not the biggest footballing “cheating” cases in its history. We all know this to be the case yet all their football establishments cover and protect the club that once was Rangers. They are Scoland’s shame and I am ashamed to be a Scot
Hi David
I have just read the book “The Dirty Game” by Andrew Jennings, who seems to be a journalist the same ilk as Phil Mac.
It’s about his campaign to reveal the corruption that is FIFA.
I don’t disagree re the SFA, and, when you read this book and realise just how far the corrupt tentacles of FIFA stretched it would come as no surprise that the SFA were not involved one way or another
If you get a chance have read, I’m sure you might agree that even the SFA or indeed Rangers (in liquidation) couldn’t hold a candle to FIFA when it comes to corruption.
The sheer scale, and the amount of money involved is mind blowing.
Corruption is like an elephant…the big the animal …the bigger the balls…However, I wonder if the US authorities would be so keen on exposing this alleged corruption if instead of Russia and Qatar, the relevant competitions were to be held in USA and UK ?? I’m just asking!!
Liam Griffin
You’ve got ask the question ?
Any chance we could interest the FBI in taking a wee peek at the SFA and SPFL?
No answer from the SFA on Res 12.
We all know the reason why.
Rangers played in UEFA 2011 competitions despite an outstanding tax bill.
There is no debate, the facts are indisputable.
For the licence to have been awarded someone at Rangers must have knowingly made a false declaration.
For the licence to have been awarded someone at the SFA signed off on the false declaration before submission to UEFA.
There were people within the SFA who were aware that Rangers had an outstanding tax bill.
Discussions had taken place between Rangers and the SFA on this subject.
Other Scottish club’s have been defrauded of a minimum of several hundred thousand pounds as a result. This is a criminal act and those responsible should be identified and dealt with in a court of law.
If collusion is established between Rangers and the SFA then it’s a complete game changer.
UEFA’s reaction to being lied to and misled by both the club and the Scottish football authorities in this matter will be swift and brutal…….other Scottish club’s who have not lied and cheated may suffer as a result, being barred from Europe being a possibility.
It’s telling that not a word on Res 12 is mentioned in the media.
They know full well what has happened yet continue to peddle the
Rangers have been punished enough line.
I’m sure the SFA is bricking themselves waiting for the dam to burst on this one……as another blogger said ‘maybe we were not paranoid enough.’
When Ashley gets the SFA back in court he is going to bury them and King………the revelations are likely to be well off the radar.