Nov 2, 2021 - Sports

Former top FIFA officials indicted by Swiss prosecutors

Jacob Knutson

Former FIFA Sepp Blatter speaking to a reporter while arriving to a hearing summoned by Swiss prosecutor in September 2020 in Bern. — Former FIFA president Sepp Blatter speaks to a reporter while arriving to a hearing in September 2020 in Bern. Photo: Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images

Swiss prosecutors on Tuesday charged former FIFA president Sepp Blatter and former UEFA president Michel Platini with fraud and other criminal offenses stemming from a multimillion-dollar payment in 2011.

The big picture: Switzerland's attorney general's office accused Blatter of unlawfully arranging payment of 2 million Swiss francs from FIFA to Platini.

Blatter and Platini face charges of fraud, mismanagement, misappropriation and forgery of a document and will face trial before Switzerland's Federal Criminal Court.

Swiss prosecutors said Platini worked as a consultant for Blatter between 1998 and 2002 and received annual compensation of 300,000 Swiss francs from FIFA, a payment that was determined by a written contract signed by both men.

In 2011, around eight years after the end of his consulting position, Platini demanded back payment of 2 million Swiss francs, and FIFA made the payment with Blatter's approval.
Swiss prosecutors said the payment was made without a legal basis, saying it "damaged FIFA's assets and unlawfully enriched Platini."

Flashback: The U.S. Department of Justice in May 2015 indicted nine high-ranking FIFA officials, including active vice presidents, on charges relating to racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering conspiracies.

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Former top FIFA officials indicted by Swiss prosecutors

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