Fansided

Nine FIFA officials indicted on various charges

By Jack Crosby

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FIFA officials got quite the surprise on Wednesday, as the United States Department of Justice dropped the hammer

For years people have been wondering when someone would be handing down some justice towards FIFA, a group seen as one of the more corrupt in the entire world, and not just in sports. Well, on Wednesday, it finally happened.

The United States Department of Justice indicted nine FIFA officials on various charges which include corruption, racketeering and fraud, among others. The New York Times were the ones to break the exclusive story in the early morning hours of Wednesday.

Swiss authorities went in and handed the charges down to the officials in a hotel in Zurich, pulling up to the building in Nissan Leafs so as to remain as inconspicuous as possible.


They would proceed to ask for the rooms of the FIFA officials and then they would go drop that proverbial justice hammer on them, taking them away without incident.

Among the list of names of FIFA officials that were charged include:

Jeffrey Webb

Eduardo Li

Julio Rocha

Costas Takkas

Jack Warner

Eugenio Figueredo

Rafael Esquivel

José Maria Marin

Nicolás Leoz

Now, yes, you’ll notice that one name not on that list is FIFA boss Sepp Blatter, who indeed was not charged. Although, this incident on Wednesday morning was a clear indicator that the walls are beginning to close in on the man that is considered one of the more corrupt figures on the planet.

In a brief statement following the indictments being handed down, FIFA had this to say:

"“We are pleased to see that the investigation is being energetically pursued for the good of football and believe that it will help to reinforce measures that FIFA has already taken.”"

Now, we see where we go from here. While the indictments called for the officials to be extradited back to the United States, a process like that could take years to actually get them in the country. Not to mention, these officials can afford the legal teams that can delay this process as long as possible.

For now, though, some justice has finally been handed down to people that are seen as some of the most corrupt in the world. The beginning stages of changing FIFA have finally arrived.

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