Brooklyn, New York – A 92-count superseding indictment was unsealed earlier today in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, charging an additional 16 defendants with racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering conspiracies, among other offenses, in connection with their participation in a 24-year scheme to enrich themselves through the corruption of international soccer.
The new defendants charged in the superseding indictment include high-ranking officials of FIFA, the organization responsible for the regulation and promotion of soccer worldwide, as well as high-ranking officials of other soccer governing bodies that operate under the FIFA umbrella. The defendants Alfredo Hawit and Juan Ángel Napout – the current presidents of CONCACAF and CONMEBOL, respectively, as well as current FIFA vice presidents and Executive Committee members – are among the 16 additional soccer officials charged with racketeering and bribery offenses.
Among the charges unsealed today are racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering conspiracies, as well as various bribery and corruption offenses. The indictment alleges that the defendants solicited and received well over $200 million in bribes and kickbacks to sell lucrative media and marketing rights to international soccer tournaments and matches, among other valuable rights and properties.
Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch, FBI Director James B. Comey, U.S. Attorney Robert L. Capers of the Eastern District of New York, Assistant Director in Charge Diego G. Rodriguez of the FBI’s New York Field Office, Chief Richard Weber of Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) and Special Agent in Charge Erick Martinez of the IRS-CI Los Angeles Field Office announced the charges.
Early this morning, Swiss authorities in Zurich arrested two of the defendants charged in the superseding indictment – Hawit and Napout – at the request of the United States. Also this morning, a search warrant was executed at Media World, a sports marketing company based in Miami.
The new charges unsealed today bring the total number of individuals and entities charged to date to 41. Of those, 12 individuals and two sports marketing companies have already been convicted as a result of the ongoing investigation. The convicted defendants have agreed to pay more than $190 million in forfeiture. In addition, more than $100 million has been restrained in the United States and abroad in connection with the alleged criminal activity.
The United States has issued mutual legal assistance requests seeking the restraint of assets located in 13 countries around the world.
Defendant: Jeffrey Webb, Alfredo Hawit, Juan Ángel Napout, Marco Polo del Nero, Ricardo Teixeira, José Luís Meiszner, Eduardo Deluca, Alejandro Burzaco, José Margulies
Criminal Charges: racketeering, wire fraud, money laundering conspiracies, bribery and corruption offenses
City and State: Brooklyn, New York
Date: May 27, 2015
Sentence or Outcome: pending
Dollar Amounts: $200 million+
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Key Facts
- State: New York
- Category: Public Corruption|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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