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Former Ecuadorian soccer officials turn themselves in to police

Xinhua, September 8, 2016 Adjust font size:

The former treasurer and former accountant from the Ecuadorian Football Federation (FEF) voluntarily handed themselves over to the police on Wednesday while being investigated as part of an asset laundering case within the national soccer entity, local media reported.

As part of the same case, the former president of the FEF, Luis Chiriboga, who is currently under house arrest, was accused and called to trial as a co-conspirator in the crime of asset laundering.

The case is linked to the corruption scandal that shook the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) in 2015, known as 'FIFA-gate'. The scandal also affected several of Latin America's soccer federations and the South American Football Confederation (Conmebol).

FEF's former treasurer, Hugo Mora, and the former accountant, Pedro Vera, handed themselves over to the National Police in Quito, Ecuador's capital, reported local newspaper El Telegrafo.

Both men became fugitives from justice after their involvement in the case was uncovered, according to the prosecutor's office.

In may, a criminal judge in the South American country accused Hugo Mora of being the consiprator and Pedro Vera of being the co-conspirator when it came to asset laundering within the FEF.

Both men's goods and money have been seized and their bank accounts have been frozen until further notice.

According to the defense lawyer for both men, Raul Rodriguez, the former soccer officials handed themselves over in order to participate in a trial hearing scheduled to take place on Sept. 26.

Mora denied all of the allegations to local media.

"I come here voluntarily to exercise my right to defense. I declare that I am completely innocent of any act mentioned. I have never committed an illegal act in my life," said Mora after stating that he did not hand himself in sooner due to health problems.

Within this same case, the FEF's former secretary, Francisco Acosta, was also investigated. However, he was cleared of all charges. The former coordinator and head of logistics, Vinicio Luna, was also investigated and sentenced to one year behind bars and given a fine of 64,800 U.S. dollars.

Investigations began after U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch, who is investigating corruption within FIFA, revealed alleged irregularities regarding financial movements within the FEF.

The United States Attorney General's Office included Luis Chiriboga, who headed the FEF for 18 years, in the list of South American soccer leaders linked to alleged corruption cases involving selling television rights to matches, accepting bribes and carrying out acts of influence-peddling. Endit