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Swiss, U.S. prosecutors consider further charges in FIFA investigations

Xinhua, September 15, 2015 Adjust font size:

Top prosecutors from Switzerland and United States on Monday updated criminal proceedings against Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA), indicating that additional charges against individuals and entities could be placed based on current evidence.

In May, the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland opened criminal proceedings against unknown persons on suspicion of criminal mismanagement and of money laundering in connection with the allocation of the 2018 and 2022 Football World Cups.

On May 27, the office seized electronic data and documents at the FIFA headquarters in Zurich. The same day, but in separate proceedings, football officials and suspected bribers were arrested in Zurich and placed in detention, pending extradition.

Michael Lauber, the Attorney General of Switzerland, on Monday told a press conference with his U.S. counterpart Loretta Lynch that a specifically designed task force, that led the criminal investigations in Switzerland, conducted house searches and collected further evidence.

He noted where proportional and needed, financial assets have been seized, including real estate, for example flats in the Swiss Alps, highlighting "investments in real estate can be misused for the purpose of money laundering."

As of Monday, 121 different bank accounts have been brought to the attention of task force by the Money Laundering Reporting Office Switzerland (MROS). Banks in Switzerland are fulfilling their duties of the law by filing suspicious transaction reports to MROS.

"We have to decide for each and every report, whether to open a new investigation, join it to an existing one and whether the assets have to be frozen," he added.

In terms of handling the seized huge amounts of electronic data which comes to around 11 terabytes so far, he said the investigation process was "not even near the half-time break."

He said the Swiss prosecution body is looking for means to accelerate the procedure, adding that if parties involved would cooperate more substantially would be helpful.

Also in May, the U.S. Department of Justice announced charges against 14 individuals on allegations of bribery and corruption within the inner workings of the world's most popular sport.

U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch disclosed 13 of the 14 defendants charged have been arrested by either U.S. or foreign authorities.

Three defendants are currently in the United States and have been arraigned in federal court in Brooklyn, where the cases against them are proceeding. Ten others are currently pending extradition here in Switzerland and in three other countries.

Based upon significant cooperation and substantial evidence that received from all quarters, she anticipated pursuing additional charges against individuals and entities.

"To anyone who seeks to live in the past and to return soccer to the days of corruption and bribery, cronyism and patronage, this global response sends a clear message: you are on the wrong side of progress and do a disservice to the integrity of this wonderful sport," the U.S. prosecutor warned. Endit