Red card! Swiss justice office freezes implicated FIFA officials’ bank accounts
The Swiss Federal Office of Justice (FOJ) has frozen the bank accounts of FIFA officials arrested earlier on Wednesday in Zurich on corruption charges.
“Further to three US requests for legal assistance, the FOJ has also ordered the blocking of accounts at several banks in Switzerland through which bribes are claimed to have flowed as well as the seizure of related bank documents,” according to FOJ press release.
The latest on FIFIA's $150 million bribery scandal: http://t.co/1jhWFW4KsNpic.twitter.com/atHaiN44z6
— Business Insider (@businessinsider) May 27, 2015
Earlier on Wednesday, Swiss police arrested senior football officials at a Zurich hotel. The officials are reportedly accused of making World Cup bid bribes, arranging broadcaster and marketing deals, as well as wire fraud, racketeering and money laundering.
READ MORE: FIFA officials arrested on corruption charges, face extradition to US
The FOJ said that six football officials have received millions of dollars over the years for crimes set up and organized from the US, with American banks involved in the payments.
Electronic and other information, along with documents, were seized from FIFA’s headquarters. The detainees are being questioned by the police on behalf of the FOJ.
