Autoridades en Suiza abrieron el miercoles un caso criminal relacionado con el otorgamiento de las sedes de los Mundiales de de Futbol Rusia 2018 y Qatar 2022. En anuncios separados se confirmo que fueron arrestados altos funcionarios de la FIFA por orden del Departamento de Justicia de los Estados Unidos con coneccion con sobornos y lavado de dinero…
La oficina del fiscal general en Suiza dijo que el procedimiento criminal es contra personas desconocidas sospechosas de lavado de dineroy recibir sobornos…
Estados Unidos perdio la oportunidad de organizar el Mundial del 2022, con Qatar siendo favorecido en la votacion final por 14 votos contra 8.
La OAG, dijo que computadoras y documentos fueron revisados en las oficinas de la FIFA en Zurich…Organismo que durante conferencia de prensa dijo estar cooperando con las investigaciones…Temprano la FIFA fue sacudida con la vinculacion de 9 oficiales de las entidad y 5 ejecutivos de corporaciones relacionadas con la misma entidad…7 de eellos fueron arrestados en Suiza y podrian efrentar extradicion a Estados Unidos, acusados de cargos federales por corrupcion…de acuerdo con la oficina del fiscal en Suiza…Entre los arrestados se encuentra el presidente de Concacaf Jeffrey Webb, vicepresidente tambien de FIFA.
NEW YORK — Authorities in Switzerland on Wednesday opened criminal proceedings related to the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups won by Russia and Qatar. In a separate announcement, they arrested high-ranking international soccer officials sought by the U.S. Justice Department in connection with bribery allegations.
The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) said the criminal proceedings are against «persons unknown on suspicion of criminal mismanagement and of money laundering» related to the successful bidders.
The U.S. missed out on hosting rights for the 2022 tournament, with Qatar prevailing in the final round of voting by 14 to eight back in 2010.
The OAG said computers and documents were seized at FIFA’s offices in Zurich. FIFA is world soccer’s governing body.
During a press conference, FIFA said it is cooperating with the investigation but otherwise quickly ruled out re-voting on where to hold the tournament that is watched by tens of millions of people around the world, and that takes place every four years.
Earlier Wednesday, FIFA was also rocked by a dramatic scandal involving nine FIFA officials and five FIFA corporate executives.
Seven FIFA officials were arrested in Switzerland and may face extradition to the U.S. on suspicion of federal corruption charges, according to Switzerland’s Federal Office of Justice.
Those arrested included FIFA vice president Jeffrey Webb. Webb is president of CONCACAF, a regional confederation that encompasses North and Central America and the Caribbean, and count the U.S. among its members. Four people and two corporations previously pleaded guilty.
The U.S. Justice Department made no attempt to hide Wednesday that it has FIFA corruption firmly in its cross-hairs.
«Organized international soccer needs a new start,» said acting U.S. Attorney Kelly Currie, of the Eastern District of New York, before adding that the indictment was not «the final chapter» in the American investigation.
«The indictment alleges corruption that is rampant, systemic, and deep-rooted both abroad and here,» said U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch.
The arrests were made at the Baur au Lac hotel in Zurich — the Swiss city where FIFA’s annual meeting will take place later this week — by plain-clothed officers representing Switzerland’s FOJ.
According to the FOJ, the action was taken at the specific request of American legal authorities following an investigation led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.