The US Attorney General Loretta Lynch said Monday that she expects more charges against “individuals and entities” as part of her office’s probe into corruption at world football governing body FIFA.
Fourteen FIFA officials and sports marketing executives were charged in the United States in May on racketeering charges involving more than $150 million.
“We do anticipate additional charges against individuals,” Lynch said at a joint press conference with her Swiss counterpart in Zurich.
“The scope of our investigation is not limited, and we are following the evidence where it leads,” she continued.
“I am grateful for the significant cooperation and substantial evidence that we have received from all quarters.Â
“Based upon that cooperation and new evidence, we anticipate pursuing additional charges against individuals and entities.”Â
She also expressed hope that the six FIFA executives still detained in Zurich would be extradited to the US to face trial.Â
Switzerland’s Attorney General Michael Lauber said that financial assets had been seized as part of his office’s probe into corruption at FIFA, which had not yet reached “half time”.
“We are not even at the half-time break,” Lauber told reporters, adding that financial assets, including apartments in the Swiss Alps, had been seized during his investigation, which is focusing on the bidding for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, won by Russia and Qatar respectively. Â
FIFA has been embroiled in a major corruption scandal since the arrest of seven of its officials on May 27 attending a FIFA congress in Zurich to elect a new president.Â
Despite the arrests the election went ahead with Sepp Blatter winning a fifth mandate although he then announced he would be standing down with a new election scheduled for February. –Â Agence France-Presse
