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Fifa officials charged over corruption named by US Department of Justice after Swiss arrests

The US Department of Justice has published its indictment

Adam Withnall
Wednesday 27 May 2015 07:23 EDT
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Walter De Gregorio, FIFA Director of Communications and Public Affairs addresses a news conference at FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland
Walter De Gregorio, FIFA Director of Communications and Public Affairs addresses a news conference at FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland (Reuters)

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The US Department of Justice (DoJ) has released its indictment against Fifa officials as part of a corruption probe against football's governing body.

It named the officials involved, and in a press release said that seven had been arrested in Switzerland as they gathered for Fifa's Congress.

"After decades of brazen corruption, organised international soccer needs a new start," the release said.

Here's the list of indicted officials, plus their roles, in full:

• Jeffrey Webb: Current Fifa vice president and executive committee member, Concacaf president, Caribbean Football Union (CFU) executive committee member and Cayman Islands Football Association (CIFA) president.

Webb is widely seen as the successor to Sepp Blatter in Fifa's ranks. He has been the president of the CIFA since 1991, and won the role after running the Cayman Islands football team Strikers FC.

• Eduardo Li: Current Fifa executive committee member-elect, Concacaf executive committee member and Costa Rican soccer federation (FEDEFUT) president.

• Julio Rocha: Current Fifa development officer. Former Central American Football Union (UNCAF) president and Nicaraguan soccer federation (FENIFUT) president.

• Costas Takkas: Current attaché to the Concacaf president. Former CIFA general secretary.

• Jack Warner: Former Fifa vice president and executive committee member, Concacaf president, CFU president and Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) special adviser.

Warner had been a Fifa executive committee member since 1983, but stood down from all roles in international football in June 2011 following an investigation into his conduct by Fifa's Ethics Committee.

• Eugenio Figueredo: Current Fifa vice president and executive committee member. Former CONMEBOL president and Uruguayan soccer federation (AUF) president.

One of few former footballers on the list of officials, Figueredo presided over the AUF from 1997 to 2006.

• Rafael Esquivel: Current CONMEBOL executive committee member and Venezuelan soccer federation (FVF) president.

• José Maria Marin: Current member of the Fifa organizing committee for the Olympic football tournaments. Former CBF president.

An unsuccessful former footballer who made just 20 appearances for Sao Paolo, was president of the Brazilian football association from 2012 to March 2015.

• Nicolás Leoz: Former Fifa executive committee member and CONMEBOL president.

Leoz was a sports journalist and teacher before his appointment as president of CONMEBOL in 1986. He resigned from the role in 2013 citing health reasons.

The US DoJ said four of the defendants were sports marketing executives, and named them as Alejandro Burzaco from Torneos y Competencias SA, Aaron Davidson from Traffic Sports USA, and Hugo and Mariano Jinkis from Full Play Group SA.

It said one of the defendants was in the broadcasting business but allegedly served as an intermediary to facilitate illicit payments between sports marketing executives and soccer officials, naming him as José Margulies.

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