ITV reports Sepp Blatter is accused of “ criminal mismanagement… [and ]… suspicion of misappropriation ” and has therefore had his office raided for evidence related to the ongoing FIFA corruption scandal. The areas concerned, specifically, are dealings with UEFA chief Michel Platini, including an alleged $2 million dollar payment. The focus of attention is wider than just Blatter.
“FIFA says the Swiss Attorney General has carried out interviews and gathered documents at the world football governing body’s headquarters in Zurich.”
Breaking news: Swiss attorney general opens criminal proceedings against Sepp Blatter http://t.co/c59zBjw1kS Pic AFP pic.twitter.com/eKDZUf2Bgq
— Guardian sport (@guardian_sport) September 25, 2015
According to the office of the attorney general (OAG), raids were carried out on the office of Blatter and documents and evidence seized. The dominoes are falling in what has been presented by a U.K. Reuters source as a great conspiracy of the upper management of FIFA in economically salacious activities. Jerome Valcke, Blatter’s right-hand man, is alleged to have committed ticket sale fraud during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and was subsequently suspended, though he continues to deny any wrongdoing.
So what has led up to all this and what impact does this have on world soccer?
The indictment of 14 total officials indicates that the corruption in FIFA is “rampant, systemic and deep-rooted,” according to U.S. attorney general Loretta Lynch at her press conference following the arrests.
The scale of bribes and kickbacks — spanning generations — has been exposed and the meticulous investigation by the authorities is uncovering enough evidence not only to make the accusations, but to prosecute and jail parties that are found guilty.
The following are the names of those already arrested: Rafael Esquivel, Nicolas Leoz, Jeffrey Webb, Jack Warner, Eduardo Li, Eugenio Figueredo, and Jose Maria Marin.
Switzerland agrees to extradite official in FIFA case: They are: Jose Maria Marin of Brazil, who headed the 20… http://t.co/7kw9xgGWjo — VOFN Costa Rica (@vofncostarica) September 23, 2015
The raiding of Blatter’s office, however, signals that there is no stopping how far the investigation is willing to go to expose all of those people — no matter their prior power and influence — who participated in the corruption culture of FIFA. There is now no one higher up to investigate, but the extent of corruption is yet to be established.
121 acts of possible ML, 11 terabytes of data, 20 years in prison: some key numbers in Fifa corruption investigation http://t.co/f5whJG2MHT
— Fraud Intelligence (@fraudintell) September 16, 2015
Blatter’s official FIFA biography reads that he has had a position in FIFA since 1975, when he became Technical Director. He became General Secretary in 1981 and in 1998 became the FIFA president. With the latest Swiss move, the reputation of FIFA as a credible organization is in serious doubt as the implications of such malfeasance are incalculable.
[Photo by Ethan Miller, Spencer Platt and Joe Raedle / Getty Images]
