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Police arrested FIFA officials early on Wednesday in Switzerland for extradition to the United States where they are to face corruption charges.
Local police did not want to go into details, speaking only of “various measures,” according to the SDA news agency.
The New York Times said the arrests were carried out as officials from football’s world governing body were gathered at the Baur au Lac hotel ahead of their annual congress on Friday when the authorities raided the premises.
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The charges they face include racketeering and money laundering in connection with alleged corruption in FIFA including World Cup bids and broadcasting deals, the report quoted law enforcement officials as saying.
Those detained included Eduardo Li, president of the Costa Rican football federation, the New York Times said.
Prosecutors were to unseal an indictment against several FIFA officials, including some not in Zurich, the report said, citing unnamed officials.
They included Jeffrey Webb, president of the Cayman Islands football association and FIFA vice president, Eugenio Figueredo of Uruguay, another FIFA vice president and former president of South America’s football association, and Jack Warner of Trinidad and Tobago, a ex-vice president of FIFA and president of the Caribbean Football Union.
The Swiss Federal Office of Justice issued a statement about the arrests. It includes detail that those arrested were detained under suspicion of the acceptance of bribes and other perks. It also clarifies that these issues are long standing.
It reads:
Bern. By order of the Federal Office of Justice (FOJ), six soccer officials were arrested in Zurich today (Wednesday) and detained pending extradition. The US authorities suspect them of having received bribes totaling in the USD millions.
The six soccer functionaries were arrested today in Zurich by the Zurich Cantonal Police . The FOJ’s arrest warrants were issued further to a request by the US authorities. The US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York is investigating these individuals on suspicion of the acceptance of bribes and kick-backs between the early 1990s and the present day.
The bribery suspects – representatives of sports media and sports promotion firms – are alleged to have been involved in schemes to make payments to the soccer functionaries – delegates of FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) and other functionaries of FIFA sub-organizations – totaling more than USD 100 million. In return, it is believed that they received media, marketing, and sponsorship rights in connection with soccer tournaments in Latin America. According to the US request, these crimes were agreed and prepared in the US, and payments were carried out via US banks.
Questioning of detainees
The Zurich Cantonal Police will question the detainees today on behalf of the FOJ regarding the US request for their arrest. A simplified procedure will apply for wanted persons who agree to their immediate extradition. The FOJ can immediately approve their extradition to the US and order its execution. However, if a wanted person opposes their extradition, the FOJ will invite the US to submit a formal extradition request within the deadline of 40 days specified in the bilateral extradition treaty.
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