One of the seven FIFA officials arrested in Zurich as part of a
corruption probe has been extradited to the United States, the Swiss
Justice Ministry said Thursday.
The Federal Office of Justice said the man, whom it did not identify, was extradited on Wednesday.
"He was handed over to a three-man U.S. police escort in Zurich who
accompanied him on the flight to New York," the ministry said in a
statement.
The official agreed last week to be extradited, unlike six others who are fighting extradition.
The extradited man is accused of "accepting bribes totaling millions
of dollars in connection with the sale of marketing rights to various
sports marketing firms and keeping the money for himself," the Swiss
justice office said last week.
All seven men were arrested on May 27 in dawn raids on a luxury hotel
in Zurich by Swiss federal police at the request of American federal
agencies.
They include FIFA vice president Jeffrey Webb of the Cayman Islands
and former FIFA vice president Eugenio Figueredo of Uruguay. Both have
been suspended from football duty by FIFA's ethics committee.
A total of 14 men — nine football officials and five marketing
executives — were indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice in May, and
a further four had their guilty pleas unsealed.
They are alleged to have taken part in a racketeering conspiracy
paying bribes of more than $150 million over a 24-year period. The
payments were tied to the award of broadcast and hosting rights for the
World Cup, continental championships in North and South America, and
regional club tournaments.
U.S. authorities have said more indictments should follow, and FIFA President Sepp Blatter is a target of the widening case.
Under pressure from the investigation, and a separate Swiss federal
probe of money laundering linked to FIFA's award of 2018 and 2022 World
Cup hosting rights, Blatter announced on June 2 that he would leave
office within months.
AP
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