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NEW YORK. — Sepp Blatter is the focus of an FBI corruption investigation in the United States, American media reported on Tuesday, shortly after his shock resignation as president of FIFA.
Interpol has also issued red notices, otherwise known as international wanted persons alerts, for the former Fifa executives Jack Warner and Nicolás Leoz as well as four sports marketing executives for charges, including racketeering conspiracy and corruption.
The New York Times and ABC News reported the investigation, citing unnamed law enforcement officials and sources familiar with the case, but gave no further details.
An FBI spokesman said the bureau was “making no comment” beyond last week’s announcement by the Attorney General and FBI director that FIFA was being investigated for corruption.
ABC News said Blatter was being investigated by the FBI and US prosecutors as part of the probe that led to last week’s indictments.
Attorney General Loretta Lynch announced last Wednesday that the US had indicted 14 FIFA executives and sports marketing executives accused in a $150 million bribery scheme.
Seven FIFA officials were arrested in a dawn swoop by Swiss police on a luxury five-star hotel in Zurich ahead of the body’s executive meeting, which saw Blatter briefly re-elected.
At the time, US prosecutors said the investigation was ongoing but would not be drawn on the possible charges against other senior FIFA figures and pointedly refused to answer questions about Blatter.
Warner, the Trinidad and Tobago national and former Fifa vice-president, and Leoz, the former Fifa executive committee member and Conmebol president, have been highly controversial figures within the world game in recent years.
A statement said: “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.”
Warner was among 14 Fifa officials and other corporate executives charged by the US justice department last week, with American and Swiss authorities making seven arrests following a dawn raid in Zurich on Wednesday.
This week a judge in Paraguay reportedly placed Leoz under house arrest for his alleged role in the corruption scandal. — AFP.
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