FIFA official agrees to extradition to USA
Bern, 10.07.2015 - One of the seven detained FIFA officials, agreed yesterday afternoon to be extradited to the USA. The Federal Office of Justice (FOJ) was therefore able to approve his extradition immediately in a simplified procedure. As is customary, no details concerning when he will be handed over are to be disclosed for reasons of security and privacy. The person concerned wished not to be named at the moment.
The FIFA-official was arrested along with six other FIFA officials in Zurich on 27 May 2015 on the basis of arrest warrants from the USA and detained pending extradition. The US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York accuses him of accepting bribes totalling millions of dollars in connection with the sale of marketing rights to various sports marketing firms and keeping the money for himself. The marketing rights in question pertain to the broadcast of qualifying matches for the soccer World Cup, regional soccer tournaments and continental soccer championships in North and South America. Such conduct was financially detrimental to two continental federations as well as various national associations.
Simplified extradition
In a first hearing conducted by the Zurich Cantonal Police immediately after his arrest, the person concerned had contested his extradition to the USA. The FOJ therefore asked the USA to submit a formal extradition request, which it did on 1 July 2015. A hearing on this formal extradition request took place yesterday, and this time the person concerned agreed to be extradited to the USA. The FOJ was therefore able to approve his extradition immediately in a simplified procedure. According to the Swiss legislation on mutual assistance in criminal matters, the person concerned must be collected by a US police escort and taken to the USA within ten days.
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Federal Office of Justice, T +41 58 462 48 48, media@bj.admin.ch
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Last modification 30.01.2024
