Justice Dept. Cracks Down On International Soccer Corruption
The Justice Department is socking FIFA, the world governing body for organized soccer. More than a dozen FIFA officials are being charged in a massive corruption case.
Attorney General Loretta Lynch said the charges include bribery, fraud, racketeering and money laundering. In a news briefing, Brooklyn federal prosecutor Kelly Currie said the suspects were involved in sports marketing schemes and were purely motivated by greed.
IRS official Richard Weber called it a "World Cup of fraud." FBI Director James Comey said a beautiful sport has been "hijacked." Attorney General Lynch stressed that she is committed to rooting out corruption in world soccer.
Several of the FIFA officials were rounded up in a posh hotel in Switzerland. Lynch said the U.S. will start extradition proceedings promptly.