by liberal japonicus
Cause if there are, you definitely want to have one for this:
Swiss authorities conducted an extraordinary early-morning operation here Wednesday to arrest several top soccer officials and extradite them to the United States on federal corruption charges.
As leaders of FIFA, soccer’s global governing body, gathered for their annual meeting, more than a dozen plain-clothed Swiss law enforcement officials arrived unannounced at the Baur au Lac hotel, an elegant five-star property with views of the Alps and Lake Zurich. They went to the front desk to get keys and proceeded upstairs to the rooms.
This is going to be interesting.
And the king of corruption* himself walks free. Delicious indeed.
*as the saying goes: you only get the Blatter after buying everyone else first.
Posted by: Hartmut | May 27, 2015 at 10:24 AM
Don't say the US doesn't care about soccer!
Posted by: Ugh | May 27, 2015 at 10:42 AM
Or whatever you foreigners call it! :-)
Posted by: Ugh | May 27, 2015 at 10:42 AM
I have to wonder why the US is where these FIFA officials are being brought to trial.
Surely there are other countries which have anti-corruption laws -- that apply even to sports. Maybe even the Swiss. So why the US?
Posted by: wj | May 27, 2015 at 10:49 AM
I have to wonder why the US is where these FIFA officials are being brought to trial.
According to NPR this morning, they used US banks to move corrupt money around. The swiss are also investigating.
Posted by: thompson | May 27, 2015 at 10:57 AM
typical America - policing the world.
/jk
Posted by: cleek | May 27, 2015 at 11:10 AM
Does anyone know if FIFA a government agency or some kind of quasi-governmental agency? Or is it wholly private?
The DOJ press release says they're being charged with racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering conspiracies but that seems a stretch.
Posted by: Ugh | May 27, 2015 at 01:23 PM
Also bribery and, what seems more appropriate, fraud. But, who are they accused of defrauding? FIFA itself?
Posted by: Ugh | May 27, 2015 at 01:25 PM
But, who are they accused of defrauding? FIFA itself?
yep.
the fraud charge, AFAICT, goes to Jack Warner, who apparently mislead FIFA's North American/Caribbean branch (CONCACAF) about the ownership of the land on which CONCACAF built a $25M "center of excellence". he owned the land. now he owns the building.
Posted by: cleek | May 27, 2015 at 01:56 PM
That makes some sense. Still a long way from giving the US jurisdiction it seems - which is based on the sale of US TV rights.
A lot of this seems like a case of "this stinks of corruption and fraud, find some" and then backfilling the legal basis for the charges. I'm still puzzled why the DOJ gives a sh1t, seems they should have more critical things to do with limited resources.
Posted by: Ugh | May 27, 2015 at 02:02 PM
Because taking down Big Soccer is striking a blow for Truth, Justice, and the American Way. Duh!
Posted by: Nombrilisme Vide | May 27, 2015 at 03:09 PM
Why the U.S.
Because that's where (some of) the money is.
Individuals (including Chuck Blazer) have already pleaded guilty, and agreed to forfeit $150m...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/11633252/Fifa-crisis-live-South-Africa-World-Cup-bid-and-Sepp-Blatter-election-were-corrupt-FBI-alleges.html
The Telegraph, despite the hollowing out of its journalism in recent years, has done some pretty good investigative reporting on this.
Posted by: Nigel | May 27, 2015 at 03:27 PM
CONCACAF HQ is in Miami Beach, Nigel's link includes photos of cops executing warrants there. Despite years of comments to the contrary by central and north Floridians, Miami is still part of the U.S.
Posted by: Priest | May 27, 2015 at 07:20 PM
Off topic, but it does require popcorn--
http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2015/05/27/rand-paul-holds-republican-hawks-responsible-for-isis/
Posted by: Donald johnson | May 27, 2015 at 10:25 PM
Nigel's link includes photos of cops executing ...
Great line break.
:-)
Posted by: Nigel | May 28, 2015 at 01:16 PM