Two more Fifa officials arrested

Duo suspected of taking millions of dollars in bribes, Swiss authorities say as investigation continues

Law enforcement officials yesterday arrested two more Fifa officials suspected of taking millions of dollars in bribes, Swiss authorities said, as part of an ongoing investigation of graft at football’s world governing body.

The two unnamed officials were taken into custody on arrest requests submitted by the US Department of Justice, Switzerland’s Federal Office of Justice (FOJ) said.

“They are being held in custody pending their extradition,” an FOJ statement said. “According to the US arrest requests, they are suspected of accepting bribes of millions of dollars.”

The FOJ said it would issue another statement with the names of those arrested later yesterday. Fifa’s ethics committee has routinely suspended officials swept up in the probe.

“The high-ranking Fifa officials are alleged to have taken the money in return for selling marketing rights in connection with football tournaments in Latin America, as well as World Cup qualifying matches,” the FOJ said.

Officials identified

“According to the arrest requests, some of the offences were agreed and prepared in the USA. Payments were also processed via US banks.” Authorities have said for months they expected to level a second wave of corruption charges in soccer following US charges in May against 14 officials and sports marketing executives with paying and taking bribes.

The New York Times identified targets of the investigation as Alfredo Hawit of Honduras, acting president of CONCACAF, and Juan Angel Napout of Paraguay, the head of CONMEBOL. It said in the latest action authorities were targeting current and former senior soccer officials on charges that included racketeering, money laundering and fraud.

The Baur au Lac hotel in Zurich, the scene of dawn raids in May on the back of US indictments, closed its gates after a group of four people, believed to be plainclothes police, went in shortly before 6am (0500 GMT), a Reuters witness said.

Another group of police then went in through the rear entrance and left half an hour later. Shortly afterwards, two cars with tinted windows were seen leaving the hotel. Reporters could not see who was inside. Fifa officials routinely use the hotel, and many are in town for a meeting of Fifa’s executive committee. “Fifa became aware of the actions taken today by the US Department of Justice,” the Zurich-based football body said in a statement.

The Fifa officials are alleged to have taken the money in return for selling marketing rights in connection with tournaments in Latin America, World Cup qualifying matches.”

Federal Office of Justice statement