FIFA millions frozen in US-led asset raid as Sepp Blatter faces corruption accusations
Corruption money allegedly transferred through 50 accounts at banks linked to FIFA heads
The Swiss Justice Ministry said it had frozen millions of Swiss francs related to world soccer body FIFA, a spokesman said on Thursday, confirming a media report.
“U.S. authorities asked for documents related to 50 accounts at different banks, through which corruption money is supposed to have transited,” ministry spokesman Folco Galli said in a statement, confirming a report by Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger.
He said a “high double-digit million amount” had been frozen following the U.S. query.
Numerous FIFA members are known to have accounts in the country.
Nicolas Leoz, a longtime head of the South American confederation, CONMEBOL, had 12 accounts in Switzerland, the newspaper said quoting details from the US request.
The United States has charged 39 individuals, including Leoz, and two companies over bribes of more than $200 million paid for football marketing and television rights deals.