Some
of the men who U.S. prosecutors accuse of money laundering, fraud and
racketeering have occupied football's corridors of power for over two
decades. They have also been directly involved with organizing the FIFA
World Cup -- one of the biggest sporting events on the planet.
The U.S. investigation targets alleged
wrongdoing that spans 24 years. U.S. prosecutors issued arrest warrants
for 14 people. In total, six arrests have been made.
Here is what you need to know about three of the most high-profile names involved.
Jeffrey Webb
One
of the highest-ranking officials charged, the Cayman Islands native is
president of CONCACAF -- the body which governs football in North and
Central America and the Caribbean. The 50-year-old Webb also serves as a
vice president of FIFA and was appointed chairman of its
anti-discrimination task force in 2013. He's been a member of FIFA's
executive committee since 2012. Webb was one of those arrested
Wednesday.
Jack Warner
Webb's
predecessor as CONCACAF president was Jack Warner. From Trinidad and
Tobago, the 72-year-old Warner was also a FIFA vice president prior to
his suspension from football-related activity following corruption
allegations relating to the 2011 presidential elections. Warner resigned
from his position in June of that year.
Jose Maria Marin
Head
of the Brazilian Football Federation between March 2012 and April 2015,
Marin also served as head of the 2014 World Cup committee. The
83-year-old was also governor of Sao Paulo between May 1982 and March
1983. Like Webb, the Brazilian Marin was arrested in Zurich. Marin was
one of the men arrested.
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