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What About Sepp Blatter? And Other Questions About the FIFA Case What About Sepp Blatter? Questions About the FIFA Case
(about 9 hours later)
As FIFA leaders gathered for a meeting in Zurich on Wednesday, Swiss law enforcement officials arrived at the five-star Baur au Lac hotel unannounced to arrest some of highest-ranking soccer officials in the world, at the request of the United States Department of Justice. The effort to round up all of the people indicted by the United States Justice Department proceeded Wednesday, a sprawling, international operation that is playing out in several soccer-mad countries. When will the accused appear in court in Brooklyn? Maybe not anytime soon.
■ An indictment was unsealed early Wednesday morning in federal court in Brooklyn charging 14 defendants with racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering conspiracies, among other offenses. ■ The contours of the case became clearer when the indictment was unsealed Wednesday morning. Of the 12 illegal schemes described in the indictment, nine were sports marketing deals involving soccer tournaments.
■ Chuck Blazer, the former FIFA executive committee member from the United States, cooperated with investigators. (In a comprehensive article in November, The Daily News outlined Mr. Blazer’s involvement.) Mr. Blazer agreed to plead guilty in 2013 to 10 counts, including racketeering, wire fraud and conspiracy, and to pay a fine of $1.9 million. Three other individuals — including two sons of the disgraced Caribbean soccer official Jack Warner — and two sports marketing companies also entered guilty pleas. ■ UEFA, soccer’s governing body in Europe, on Wednesday called for FIFA to postpone its presidential election, scheduled for Friday. “UEFA believes that the FIFA congress should be postponed and that the election for the president should take place within six months,” the organization said in a statement.
■ At a news conference in Zurich, a FIFA spokesman said the situation was good for his organization because it showed FIFA was eager to improve. He also said the organization would not consider reopening the bid process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, even though Swiss officials said they had opened a parallel investigation and seized documents and electronic data related to those votes. ■ Jack Warner, a former FIFA vice president who figures prominently in the United States prosecutors’ case, turned himself in to law enforcement officials in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. The country set his bail at $2.5 million. His sons, Daryan and Daryll Warner, pleaded guilty in 2013.
■ Sepp Blatter, the longtime president of FIFA, released a statement Wednesday afternoon. “As unfortunate as these events are, it should be clear that we welcome the actions and the investigations by the U.S. and Swiss authorities and believe that it will help to reinforce measures that FIFA has already taken to root out any wrongdoing in football,” he said.
■ Federal agents searched the Miami headquarters of Concacaf, the governing body for soccer in North America, Central America and the Caribbean.■ Federal agents searched the Miami headquarters of Concacaf, the governing body for soccer in North America, Central America and the Caribbean.
■ The United States attorney general, Loretta E. Lynch, who took office last month, and James Comey, the F.B.I. director, held a news conference in Brooklyn. At the event, Richard Weber, the head of the I.R.S. criminal investigation division, said, “Today we are issuing FIFA a red card.” ■ It will most likely be months before any of the foreign defendants appear in court in Brooklyn, unless they waive extradition. If they do not waive extradition, then prosecutors have 40 days to put together a formal extradition package; then extradition hearings would start.
■ The investigation is not over. “This is the beginning of our effort, not the end,” said Kelly T. Currie, acting United States attorney for the Eastern District of New York. “We are looking into individuals and entities in a variety of countries.” Jeffrey Webb: President of Concacaf, one of the six regional confederations that compose FIFA, and a vice president of FIFA
Jeffrey Webb: President of Concacaf, one of the six regional confederations that compose FIFA, and vice president of FIFA Jack Warner: A former president of Concacaf and former vice president of FIFA
Jack Warner: Former president of Concacaf and vice president of FIFA Eugenio Figueredo: A former president of Conmebol, the South American federation, and an outgoing FIFA vice president
Eugenio Figueredo: Former president of Conmebol, the South American federation, and outgoing FIFA vice president Eduardo Li: President of the Costa Rican federation, set to join the FIFA executive committee this week
Eduardo Li: President of Costa Rican federation, set to join FIFA executive committee this week Julio Rocha: President of the Nicaraguan association
Julio Rocha: President of Nicaraguan association Costas Takkas: A former president of the Cayman Islands federation
Costas Takkas: Former president of Cayman Islands federation Rafael Esquivel: President of the Venezuelan association since 1988
Rafael Esquivel: President of Venezuelan association since 1988 José Maria Marin: A former president of Brazil’s federation
José Maria Marin: Former president of Brazil’s federation Nicolás Leoz: A former president of Conmebol and former member of FIFA executive committee
Nicolás Leoz: Former president of Conmebol and former member of FIFA executive committee Alejandro Burzaco: An Argentine sports media executive
Alejandro Burzaco: Argentine sports media executive Aaron Davidson: President of Traffic Sports USA, a promoter of soccer events, and chairman of the board of the North American Soccer League
Aaron Davidson: President of Traffic Sports USA — a promoter of soccer events — and chairman of the board of North American Soccer League Hugo Jinkis: A soccer media executive
Hugo Jinkis: Soccer media executive Mariano Jinkis: A soccer media executive
Mariano Jinkis: Soccer media executive José Margulies: Charged as an intermediary who facilitated illegal payments
José Margulies: Charged as intermediary who facilitated illegal payments Sepp Blatter, president of FIFA since 1998, was not charged, although the soccer officials who were indicted might present prosecutors with information damaging to Mr. Blatter. An election, seemingly preordained to give Mr. Blatter a fifth term as president, is scheduled for Friday in Zurich. It will go on as planned, a FIFA spokesman said.
Sepp Blatter, president of FIFA since 1998, was not charged, though the soccer officials who were indicted might present prosecutors with information that is damaging to Mr. Blatter. An election, seemingly preordained to give Mr. Blatter a fifth term as president, is scheduled for Friday in Zurich. It will go on as planned, a FIFA spokesman said.
United States law gives the Justice Department wide authority to bring cases against foreign nationals living abroad, an authority that prosecutors have used repeatedly in international terrorism cases. Those cases can hinge on the slightest connection to the United States, like the use of an American bank or Internet service provider.United States law gives the Justice Department wide authority to bring cases against foreign nationals living abroad, an authority that prosecutors have used repeatedly in international terrorism cases. Those cases can hinge on the slightest connection to the United States, like the use of an American bank or Internet service provider.
Switzerland’s treaty with the United States is unusual in that it gives Swiss authorities the power to refuse extradition for tax crimes, but on matters of general criminal law, the Swiss have agreed to turn people over for prosecution in American courts. Switzerland’s treaty with the United States is unusual in that it gives Swiss authorities the power to refuse extradition for tax crimes, but on matters of general criminal law, the Swiss have agreed to turn over people for prosecution in American courts.
There has been a cultural shift in recent years as Switzerland has gradually, if not reluctantly, become more cooperative with foreign authorities as its companies and large banking sector seeks to expand and flourish abroad, and in particular in the United States. There has been a cultural shift in recent years: Switzerland has gradually, if not reluctantly, become more cooperative with foreign authorities as its companies and large banking sector seek to expand and flourish abroad, in particular in the United States.
In 2009, UBS, Switzerland’s largest bank, agreed to hand over the names of 4,450 of its clients to American judicial authorities, as well as pay a fine of $780 million for facilitating their tax evasion. American law enforcement officials have since charged dozens of Swiss bankers and financial advisers with facilitating tax evasion. In 2009, UBS, Switzerland’s largest bank, agreed to hand over the names of 4,450 of its clients to American judicial authorities, as well as pay a fine of $780 million for facilitating tax evasion. American law enforcement officials have since charged dozens of Swiss bankers and financial advisers with facilitating tax evasion.
Switzerland has also extradited some people wanted for financial fraud by countries like Russia, despite criticism from human rights groups, concerned that they would not receive a fair trial in their homeland. Switzerland has also extradited some people wanted for financial fraud by countries like Russia despite criticism from human rights groups that were concerned that the people would not receive a fair trial in their homelands.
■ The extradition process begins in Switzerland. In a statement released Wednesday morning, Switzerland’s Federal Office of Justice explained its protocols: “A simplified procedure will apply for wanted persons who agree to their immediate extradition. The F.O.J. can immediately approve their extradition to the U.S. and order its execution. However, if a wanted person opposes their extradition, the F.O.J. will invite the U.S. to submit a formal extradition request within the deadline of 40 days specified in the bilateral extradition treaty.”■ The extradition process begins in Switzerland. In a statement released Wednesday morning, Switzerland’s Federal Office of Justice explained its protocols: “A simplified procedure will apply for wanted persons who agree to their immediate extradition. The F.O.J. can immediately approve their extradition to the U.S. and order its execution. However, if a wanted person opposes their extradition, the F.O.J. will invite the U.S. to submit a formal extradition request within the deadline of 40 days specified in the bilateral extradition treaty.”
■ FIFA’s presidential election is scheduled for Friday in Zurich.