The former Fifa official has claimed that he and members of the executive
committee agreed to take kickbacks over the allocation of a number of
tournaments
Fifa whistleblower Chuck Blazer has claimed that bribes were taken over the
selection of the host nations for the 1998 and 2010 World Cups in an
extraordinary testimony.
Blazer, a former Fifa Executive Committee member, was a key witness in the
corruption investigation that has led to the arrests of a number of footballing
officials over allegations of money-laundering and racketeering.
And the 70-year-old has now revealed the extent to which bribery took place in
the awarding of certain international events, including the World Cups in France
and South Africa, following the release of details of a US court hearing from two
years ago.
Speaking in 2013 in a hearing in New York over alleged tax offences, Blazer said
: "I also served as General Secretary of Concacaf from 1990 through December
of 2011, and was responsible for, among other things, participating in the
negotiations for sponsorship and media rights.
"During my association with Fifa and Concacaf, among other things, I and
others agreed that I or a co-conspirator would commit at least two acts of
racketeering activity. Among other things, I agreed with other persons in or
around 1992 to facilitate the acceptance of a bribe in conjunction with the
selection of the host nation for the 1998 World Cup.
"Beginning in or about 1993 and continuing through the early 2000s, I and
others agreed to accept bribes and kickbacks in conjunction with the broadcast
and other rights to the 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2003 Gold Cups. Beginning
in or around 2004 and continuing through 2011, I and others on the Fifa
executive committee agreed to accept bribes in conjunction with the selection of
South Africa as the host nation for the 2010 World Cup. Among other things, my
actions above had common participants and results.
"Between April of 2004 and May 2011, I and others who were fiduciaries to both
Fifa and Concacaf, in contravention of our duties, I and others, while acting in
our official capacities, agreed to participate in a scheme to defraud Fifa and
Concacaf to the right to honest services by taking undisclosed bribes. I and
others agreed to use e-mail, telephone and a wire transfer into and out of the
United States in furtherance of the scheme. Funds procured through these
improper payments passed through JFK Airport in the form of a check (cheque).
"Between December 2008 and May 2011, I and others agreed to and transmitted
funds by wire transfer and cheques from places within the United States to
places in the Caribbean, and from places in the Caribbean to places in the
United States. I agreed to and took these actions to, among other things,
promote and conceal my receipt of bribes and kickbacks. I knew that the funds
involved were the proceeds of an unlawful bribe, and I and others used wires, e-
mails and telephone to effectuate payment of and conceal the nature of the
bribe. Funds procured through these improper payments passed through JFK
airport in the form of a check (cheque).
"Between 2005 and 2010, while a resident of New York, New York, I knowingly
and wilfully failed to file an income tax return and failed to pay income taxes. In
this way, I intentionally concealed my true income from the IRS, thereby
defrauding the IRS of income tax owed. I knew that my actions were wrong at
the time."
Blazer was part of the Fifa Executive Committee between 1996 and 2013.
As well as holding a high position within Concacaf, the confederation for North
America and the Caribbean, Blazer was also executive vice-president of the U.S.
soccer federation.
His statement comes in a week which has seen Sepp Blatter confirm he will
step down as Fifa president, with the FBI due to investigate the Swiss as part
of their on-going inquest into alleged Fifa corruption.
A total of 14 individuals have so far been indicted by the US Department of
Justice under charges of racketeering, fraud and money laundering.
http://www.goal.com/en-ng/news/4055/main/2015/06/03/12377092/fifa-whistleblower-blazer-reveals-world-cup-bribes?ICID=HP_TS_12

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