美国司法部长（U.S. Attorney General ）洛丽塔·林奇（Loretta Lynch）发表讲话指出，“这项指控指出了美国国内外出现猖獗的、制度化的深层腐败。他们本应遵守规章制度，维护足球运动的诚信，保持这项运动的尊严。但他们采取腐败行，为个人利益中饱私囊，使全世界足球事业受到损害。”

这项指控提出47项罪名 ，起诉14名被告 参与勒索、电信欺诈和洗钱等罪行，涉及长达24年的一项诈骗案，以牺牲国际足球事业为代价牟取钱财。

美国司法部长表示，“这对多方面的受害人造成了严重的损害，例如各青年队和发展中国家，他们本应从这些组织通过商业权利获得的收入中获益，还有世界各地和国内的球迷，他们对这项运动的支持使这些权利获得了价值。”

被告包括美国和南美洲的体育市场营销主管人员，他们被指控支付和同意支付大大超过1.5亿美元的贿赂和回扣，以换取国际足球锦标赛的媒体报道和市场营销权。瑞士有关当局逮捕了几名涉案的国际足联官员。相关程序的下一步行动是引渡。美国正式要求将在瑞士被捕的人员引渡至美国拘押。

林奇说，“在苏黎世（Zurich）被捕的被告有权利接受公平和公正的引渡程序。他们一旦被引渡到美国，将获得公正的审判。”

美国和瑞士正各自对这个全世界最大的足球联盟涉及的腐败案进行调查。林奇说，“今后，我们希望有机会与我们在世界各地的伙伴共同努力，将更多的共犯和其他腐败人员绳之以法。”

美国正继续与国际伙伴一起遏制腐败，要求那些利用公众信任牟取个人私利的人员承担责任。更多的信息见美国全球反腐败议程（U.S. Global Anticorruption Agenda）和可以采取哪些行动打击腐败。

Combatting corruption in the ‘beautiful game’
 

The U.S. Department of Justice red-carded FIFA officials and corporate executives with May 27 indictments alleging illegal activities that harmed the development of soccer around the world.

“The indictment alleges rampant, systemic, and deep-rooted corruption both abroad and in the United States,” U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch said.

“They were expected to uphold the rules that keep soccer honest, and protect the integrity of the game,” Lynch said.  “Instead, they corrupted the business of worldwide soccer to serve their interests and enrich themselves.”

The 47-count indictment charges 14 defendants with racketeering, wire fraud and money-laundering conspiracies, along with other offenses, in connection with a 24-year scheme to gain riches at the expense of international soccer.

“And it has profoundly harmed a multitude of victims, from the youth leagues and developing countries that should benefit from the revenue generated by the commercial rights these organizations hold, to the fans at home and throughout the world whose support for the game makes those rights valuable,” the U.S. attorney general said.

Defendants include U.S. and South American sports marketing executives who allegedly paid and agreed to pay well over $150 million in bribes and kickbacks for media and marketing rights to international soccer tournaments.

Authorities in Switzerland arrested several FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) officials in connection with the indictments. The next step in the process is extradition, in which the United States formally requests the individuals arrested in Switzerland be transferred to U.S. custody to face charges.

“The defendants arrested in Zurich have the right to a fair and impartial extradition process, and they will receive a fair trial if they are extradited to this country,” Lynch said.

The United States and Switzerland are each conducting investigations into corruption at the world’s largest football association. The sport is known in the United States and some other countries as soccer.

“Going forward, we welcome the opportunity to work with our partners around the world to bring additional co-conspirators and other corrupt individuals to justice,” Lynch said.

The United States continually works with international partners to stem corruption and to hold accountable those who exploit the public’s trust for personal gain. Learn more about the U.S. Global Anticorruption Agenda and what steps you can take to fight corruption today.