One case involved a Palestinian “referee” on the way to a game in Jericho who was arrested a year earlier on charges of using his international travel to return with money and other items for delivery to the Hamas terrorist organization.
In New York, 14 FIFA officials and marketing executives were indicted on charges of corruption on Wednesday. The U.S. Justice Department sent agents to arrest officials at FIFA’s New York City headquarters. The organization controls the venue and management of the annual World Cup competition as well as virtually everything else in international soccer.
Federal prosecutors accused officials of selling their votes and deals for some $150 million in bribes over the past 20 years.