This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/football/2015/jul/16/fifa-corruption-switzerland-extradites-official-to-us
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Fifa corruption inquiry: official extradited to US | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| A Fifa official arrested in Switzerland has been extradited to the US as part of a corruption investigation into the international football governing body. | A Fifa official arrested in Switzerland has been extradited to the US as part of a corruption investigation into the international football governing body. |
| The Swiss Federal Office of Justice did not name the official, but the news came six days after it was reported that Jeffrey Webb – one of seven current and former Fifa employees arrested in Switzerland in May – had agreed not to fight his extradition. | The Swiss Federal Office of Justice did not name the official, but the news came six days after it was reported that Jeffrey Webb – one of seven current and former Fifa employees arrested in Switzerland in May – had agreed not to fight his extradition. |
| The allegations under investigation by US and Swiss authorities cover bribery, fraud and money laundering, including possible corruption in the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar respectively. | The allegations under investigation by US and Swiss authorities cover bribery, fraud and money laundering, including possible corruption in the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar respectively. |
| They have rocked the administration of the world’s most popular sport, raised questions for the game’s powerful commercial sponsors, and forced the Fifa president, Sepp Blatter, to announce his resignation. | They have rocked the administration of the world’s most popular sport, raised questions for the game’s powerful commercial sponsors, and forced the Fifa president, Sepp Blatter, to announce his resignation. |
| A Swiss justice official said: “The first of the seven Fifa officials being held in custody in Switzerland was extradited to the US on 15 July. He was handed over to a three-man US police escort in Zurich who accompanied him on the flight to New York.” | A Swiss justice official said: “The first of the seven Fifa officials being held in custody in Switzerland was extradited to the US on 15 July. He was handed over to a three-man US police escort in Zurich who accompanied him on the flight to New York.” |
| Webb and the six others were arrested by Swiss police in a dawn raid on a luxury Zurich hotel two days before a congress at Fifa’s headquarters in the city, at which Blatter was re-elected for a fifth term. | Webb and the six others were arrested by Swiss police in a dawn raid on a luxury Zurich hotel two days before a congress at Fifa’s headquarters in the city, at which Blatter was re-elected for a fifth term. |
| An indictment unsealed by US prosecutors in Brooklyn charged football officials and marketing executives with exploiting the sport for their own gain through bribes of $150m (£96m) over 24 years. | An indictment unsealed by US prosecutors in Brooklyn charged football officials and marketing executives with exploiting the sport for their own gain through bribes of $150m (£96m) over 24 years. |
| Blatter announced days later that he would lay down his mandate at an extraordinary Fifa congress which will be held between December and February, and would not stand again. | Blatter announced days later that he would lay down his mandate at an extraordinary Fifa congress which will be held between December and February, and would not stand again. |
| Webb, a Cayman Islands citizen, is charged with racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud and money laundering. He has been provisionally banned from his posts at Fifa and Concacaf, the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football. | Webb, a Cayman Islands citizen, is charged with racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud and money laundering. He has been provisionally banned from his posts at Fifa and Concacaf, the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football. |
| Neither his lawyer nor a US Department of Justice spokeswoman responded to requests for comment on Thursday. | Neither his lawyer nor a US Department of Justice spokeswoman responded to requests for comment on Thursday. |
| The indictment describes Webb as using his positions to solicit bribes from sports marketing companies in exchange for the commercial rights to football matches. | The indictment describes Webb as using his positions to solicit bribes from sports marketing companies in exchange for the commercial rights to football matches. |
| Six other officials – Eduardo Li, Julio Rocha, Eugenio Figueredo, Rafael Esquivel, José Maria Marin and Costas Takkas – remain detained in Switzerland and are contesting their extradition. | Six other officials – Eduardo Li, Julio Rocha, Eugenio Figueredo, Rafael Esquivel, José Maria Marin and Costas Takkas – remain detained in Switzerland and are contesting their extradition. |