GENEVA (AP) — The U.S. Department of Justice says FIFA and other soccer bodies are entitled to get more than $200 million from cash forfeited in a sprawling investigation of corruption in soccer.
The DOJ says a first amount of $32.2 million will be paid into a “World Football Remission Fund” overseen by the FIFA Foundation charity.
It's the start of “returning funds to the victims of the FIFA bribery scandal” that rocked world soccer in 2015 and continues today.
“Today’s announcement confirms that money stolen by corrupt soccer officials and sports marketing executives through fraud and greed will be returned to where it belongs and used to benefit the sport,” stated Acting United States Attorney Kasulis.
FIFA’s charity funds education, development and humanitarian relief projects.
FIFA had asked federal prosecutors in 2016 for tens of millions of dollars in restitution.
The Justice Department said, so far, 50 people and corporate defendants, from more than 20 countries, have been charged in the corruption scheme.
