More high-ranking FIFA officials have been arrested in Switzerland today.
CONCACAF president Alfredo Hawit and CONMEBOL president Juan Angel Napout were arrested in the same hotel where multiple FIFA officials were apprehended last May.
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These arrests were ordered by the United States Department of Justice and carried out by Swiss authorities, with Hawit and Napout suspected of taking millions in bribes.
FIFA released a short statement saying they were aware of the arrests and plan to fully cooperate.
From NBC News:Swiss police on Thursday arrested two FIFA officials suspected of accepting millions of dollars in bribes — some of which were allegedly processed by U.S. banks.
The early-morning raids in Zurich came after “arrest requests” submitted by the U.S. Department of Justice on November 29, according to the Swiss Justice Ministry.
Officials said the high-ranking FIFA officials allegedly received bribes in return for selling marketing rights in connection with football tournaments in Latin America, as well as World Cup qualifying matches.
“According to the arrest requests, some of the offences were agreed and prepared in the United States and payments were also processed via U.S. banks,” the Swiss Justice Ministry stated.
Hawit, who is from Honduras, was named the president of CONCACAF after former leader Jeffrey Webb was arrested in the original FIFA raids in May.
