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http://www.nbcnews.com/news/sports/...ged-corruption-world-cups-also-probed-n365101
Wire fraud, corruption and racketeering. This will hopefully be the end of Sepp Blatter.
"Soccer's governing body FIFA was rocked by dual corruption probes Wednesday that included the arrest of one of its vice presidents and allegations of $150 million in bribes and kickbacks.
In a separate case, Swiss investigators also announced a criminal probe into alleged bribery linked to the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
Seven high-ranking international soccer officials were detained in Switzerland as part of a U.S. investigation and hours later FIFA's headquarters in Zurich were raided and documents seized. A search warrant was also executed at the continental governing body CONCACAF's offices in Miami.
The arrests follow years of corruption allegations against FIFA and came the same week president Sepp Blatter was expected to be re-elected for a fifth term.
Attorney General Loretta Lynch said the U.S. indictment alleged "rampant, systemic, and deep-rooted" corruption that "spans at least two generations of soccer officials who ... abused their positions of trust to acquire millions of dollars in bribes and kickbacks."
Lynch added: "Undisclosed and illegal payments, kickbacks, and bribes became a way of doing business at FIFA."
Jeffrey Webb and Jack Warner — the current and former presidents of the Miami-based CONCACAF — were among 14 people charged with racketeering and bribery as part of a "24-year scheme to enrich themselves through the corruption of international soccer," the U.S. Department of Justice announced. Serving FIFA vice president Eugenio Figueredo, who runs the Uruguayan soccer federation, was also detained. Other defendants include sports marketing executives."
Article continues
Wire fraud, corruption and racketeering. This will hopefully be the end of Sepp Blatter.
"Soccer's governing body FIFA was rocked by dual corruption probes Wednesday that included the arrest of one of its vice presidents and allegations of $150 million in bribes and kickbacks.
In a separate case, Swiss investigators also announced a criminal probe into alleged bribery linked to the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups.
Seven high-ranking international soccer officials were detained in Switzerland as part of a U.S. investigation and hours later FIFA's headquarters in Zurich were raided and documents seized. A search warrant was also executed at the continental governing body CONCACAF's offices in Miami.
The arrests follow years of corruption allegations against FIFA and came the same week president Sepp Blatter was expected to be re-elected for a fifth term.
Attorney General Loretta Lynch said the U.S. indictment alleged "rampant, systemic, and deep-rooted" corruption that "spans at least two generations of soccer officials who ... abused their positions of trust to acquire millions of dollars in bribes and kickbacks."
Lynch added: "Undisclosed and illegal payments, kickbacks, and bribes became a way of doing business at FIFA."
Jeffrey Webb and Jack Warner — the current and former presidents of the Miami-based CONCACAF — were among 14 people charged with racketeering and bribery as part of a "24-year scheme to enrich themselves through the corruption of international soccer," the U.S. Department of Justice announced. Serving FIFA vice president Eugenio Figueredo, who runs the Uruguayan soccer federation, was also detained. Other defendants include sports marketing executives."
Article continues