International
FABRICE COFFRINI / AFP / Getty Images
Swiss authorities on Thursday approved a U.S. request to extradite former FIFA vice president Eugenio Figueredo, who is accused of bribery and fraudulently obtaining U.S. citizenship.
An 83-year-old Uruguay native, Figueredo has 30 days to appeal the decision, Switzerland's justice ministry said. He was among seven football officials arrested May 27 in early-morning hotel raids in Zurich, two days before the FIFA presidential election.
He has been detained in a Zurich-area prison and faces a 20-year sentence on racketeering charges.
“Figueredo is accused of receiving bribes worth millions of dollars from a Uruguayan sports marketing company in connection with the sale of marketing rights to the Copa America tournaments in 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2023,” the Swiss ministry said.
“Figueredo is also alleged to have acquired U.S. citizenship fraudulently by submitting forged medical reports in 2005 and 2006,” the statement said.
Citing a mental disability, he was exempted from English language and civics tests to get citizenship.
“Figueredo submitted documentation explaining his mental disability that falsely stated that he had severe dementia,” the Swiss ministry said.
His term on the FIFA executive committee was due to expire on May 29. FIFA has since suspended him from all soccer duty.
Figueredo became president of the South American football body CONMEBOL in 2013 after his predecessor, Nicolas Leoz of Paraguay, resigned to avoid FIFA sanctions for taking kickbacks from a marketing agency that sold World Cup broadcasting rights.
Leoz is also among 14 football and marketing officials indicted by the U.S. Department of Justice in May for allegedly being involved in bribery worth “well over $150 million” linked to hosting and broadcasting rights for the World Cup and continental tournaments in North and South America. Four more men had guilty pleas unsealed.
U.S. authorities filed for Figueredo's extradition in July.
Five more men detained in Switzerland are awaiting decisions by the Swiss justice ministry after Zurich police held extradition hearings in recent weeks.
The Justice Department on Monday announced that it was widening its investigation of corruption in international football.
“We do anticipate pursuing additional charges against individuals and entities,” U.S. Attorney General Lynch said in FIFA's home city of Zurich.
Al Jazeera and The Associated Press
DOJ's decision to indict FIFA officials part of country's longstanding effort to stamp out unfair business practices
Former FIFA Vice President Jeffrey Webb has been extradited to the US from Switzerland as part of a corruption probe
Error
Sorry, your comment was not saved due to a technical problem. Please try again later or using a different browser.