FIFA President Sepp Blatter
ZURICH, Switzerland (AFP) – Switzerland’s top prosecutor said Friday that criminal proceedings had been opened against FIFA chief Sepp Blatter, on suspicion that he misappropriated funds and violated his duties as the head of world football’s governing body.
“Swiss criminal proceedings against the President of FIFA, Mr Joseph Blatter, have been opened on 24 September 2015 on suspicion of criminal mismanagement…and – alternatively – misappropriation,” said a statement from Switzerland’s attorney general’s office.
“There is as suspicion that…Joseph Blatter also violated his fiduciary duties” to FIFA in connection with a contract with the Caribbean Football Union, the statement further said.
UEFA chief Michel Platini has also been implicated in the FIFA corruption case.
Blatter is suspected of “disloyal payment” to Platini, who had hoped to succeed him, the office of Switzerland’s attorney general said Friday.
The statement said: “Mr Joseph Blatter is suspected of a disloyal payment of 2.0 million Swiss francs ($2.04 million, 1.8 million euros) to Michel Platini, President of Union of European Football Associations (UEFA), at the expense of FIFA,” it said in a statement, adding that the payment had been executed in February 2011, and had allegedly been made “for work performed between January 1999 and June 2002.”