Where there is smoke, there is fire – a saying which seems to ring true following the recent events at FIFA. And following Sepp Blatter’s resignation last night, Interpol has now put 6 people, closely linked to the bribery allegations, on its most wanted list. How deep does the knife actually go? – Stuart Lowman
From News24
Paris – Interpol put two former FIFA officials and four corporate executives on its wanted list Wednesday for racketeering conspiracy and corruption.
Previous top FIFAÂ executives Jack Warner and Nicolas Leoz were both on Interpol’s list, which warns member countries when someone is wanted on an arrest warrant.
Alejandro Burzaco, Hugo and Mariano Jinkis and Jose Margulies, also known as Jose Lazaro, were all also on the list.
The six are wanted in the US face charges of racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering conspiracies over the course of 24 years.
According to US judicial authorities, Warner faces bribery charges and the sports executives are wanted for having “systematically paid and agreed to pay well over 150 million dollars in bribes and kickbacks to obtain lucrative media and marketing rights to international soccer tournaments.”
Seven FIFA officials were separately arrested in Zurich, Switzerland, last week in a broad operation that has cast a shadow on the prestigious football governing body.
Swiss authorities are looking into allegations that FIFA forwarded a 10-million dollar payment from South Africa to the Caribbean ahead of their election as 2010 World Cup hosts.
They are also investigating the World Cup host elections for 2018 and 2022.
Earlier this week, FIFA president Joseph Blatter announced his decision to resign, saying that the end of his 17-year tenure was necessary to give the federation a “profound overhaul.”
Full INTERPOL statement:
“At the request of US authorities, INTERPOL Red Notices – or international wanted persons alerts – have been issued for two former FIFA officials and four corporate executives for charges including racketeering conspiracy and corruption.
The Red Notices have been issued for; Jack Warner, Trinidad & Tobago national, former FIFA vice president and executive committee member, CONCACAF president, CFU president and Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) special adviser.Nicolás Leoz, Paraguayan national, former FIFA executive committee member and CONMEBOL president.Alejandro Burzaco, Argentine national, controlling principal of Torneos y Competencias S.A., a sports marketing business based in Argentina, and its affiliates.Hugo Jinkis and Mariano Jinkis, Argentine nationals, controlling principals of Full Play Group S.A., a sports marketing business based in Argentina, and its affiliates.José Margulies (also known as José Lazaro), Brazilian national, controlling principal of Valente Corp. and Somerton Ltd., broadcasting businesses.
Red Notices are one of the ways in which INTERPOL informs its member countries that an arrest warrant has been issued for an individual by a judicial authority and seeks the location and arrest of wanted persons with a view to extradition or similar lawful action.
The individuals concerned are wanted by national jurisdictions and INTERPOL’s role is to assist national police forces in identifying or locating those individuals with a view to their arrest and extradition.
