FIFA officials indicted on fraud, corruption, and racketeering charges

As most were still asleep here in the United States, Swiss Authorities carried out arrests of several FIFA officials and began the process of extraditing them to the United States. In total, 14 individuals were indicted on charges of racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering, including nine FIFA officials, four sports marketing executives, and one intermediary.

Charges were made against the following individuals:

Jeffrey Webb: Current FIFA vice president and executive committee member, CONCACAF president, Caribbean Football Union (CFU) executive committee member and Cayman Islands Football Association (CIFA) president.

Eduardo Li: Current FIFA executive committee member-elect, CONCACAF executive committee member and Costa Rican soccer federation (FEDEFUT) president.

Julio Rocha: Current FIFA development officer. Former Central American Football Union (UNCAF) president and Nicaraguan soccer federation (FENIFUT) president.

Costas Takkas: Current attaché to the CONCACAF president. Former CIFA general secretary.

Jack Warner: Former FIFA vice president and executive committee member, CONCACAF president, CFU president and Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation (TTFF) special adviser.

Eugenio Figueredo: Current FIFA vice president and executive committee member. Former CONMEBOL president and Uruguayan soccer federation (AUF) president.

Rafael Esquivel: Current CONMEBOL executive committee member and Venezuelan soccer federation (FVF) president.

José Maria Marin: Current member of the FIFA organizing committee for the Olympic football tournaments. Former CBF president.

Nicolás Leoz: Former FIFA executive committee member and CONMEBOL president.

Four of the defendants were sports marketing executives:

Alejandro Burzaco: Controlling principal of Torneos y Competencias S.A., a sports marketing business based in Argentina, and its affiliates.

Aaron Davidson: President of Traffic Sports USA Inc. (Traffic USA).

Hugo and Mariano Jinkis: Controlling principals of Full Play Group S.A., a sports marketing business based in Argentina, and its affiliates.

And one of the defendants was in the broadcasting business but allegedly served as an intermediary to facilitate illicit payments between sports marketing executives and soccer officials:

José Margulies: Controlling principal of Valente Corp. and Somerton Ltd.

Of particular note in this group is Aaron Davidson, the President of Traffic Sports and Board of Governors Chairman of the North American Soccer League. The league has reduced the number of clubs owned by Traffic down to just the Carolina RailHawks over the past several years, but the connection is there nonetheless.

How this will impact the league or the RailHawks is unclear, but I'm sure they'll have some comments on the situation in relatively short order.