US authorities have expanded their investigations into corruption in global soccer and expect to file additional criminal charges, US Attorney General Loretta Lynch said yesterday.
As part of a separate Swiss probe, Switzerland’s chief prosecutor said his office had seized property and flats in the Swiss Alps in connection with its probe into corruption inside Zurich-based FIFA.
The developments are the latest in the worst crisis in FIFA’s 111-year history, which erupted with the arrest of seven senior officials and sports marketing executives over corruption accusations in Zurich.
“What I can say is that, separate and apart from the pending indictment, our investigation remains active and ongoing, and has in fact expanded since May,” Lynch said at a news conference in Zurich alongside Swiss Attorney Michael Lauber.
“Based upon that cooperation (with Swiss authorities) and new evidence, we do anticipate pursuing additional charges against individuals and entities,” Lynch said.
She added that the global response to the FIFA scandal had sent a clear message: “You are on the wrong side of progress and do a disservice to the integrity of this wonderful sport.”
Lauber said the Swiss investigation had not yet reached the half-way mark and his office had continued to build up its mountain of seized data.
Switzerland’s Office of the Attorney General (OAG) has so far gathered around 11 terabytes of electronic data – up from nine in the OAG’s June update – and 121 different bank accounts have been flagged for suspicious activity. The OAG had said last month it had received 103 suspicious financial activity reports for its investigation.
Lauber also said the OAG had conducted house searches in western Switzerland and seized apartments in the Swiss mountains.
“Where proportional and needed, financial assets have been seized, including real estate, like flats in the Swiss Alps,” Lauber said.
“At this point I would like to emphasis that investments in real estate can be misused for the purpose of money laundering.”