This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-28258207
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| World Cup tickets: Ray Whelan 'flees arrest' | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Ray Whelan, head of Fifa partner Match Hospitality, has fled to escape arrest in Rio over alleged illegal ticket sales, Brazilian police say. | |
| Police chief Fabio Barucke said Mr Whelan was officially considered a fugitive from justice. | |
| Earlier on Thursday, a judge accepted an indictment for Mr Whelan - who is British - and 11 others. | |
| An international gang is said to have earned some $90m (£52m) per tournament and may have acted at four World Cups. | |
| The gang is believed to have been making money by acquiring and illegally selling on VIP tickets and hospitality passes. | |
| Mr Whelan was first detained on Monday at the exclusive Copacabana Palace hotel in Rio de Janeiro and released after questioning. | |
| In a later statement, Match Hospitality denied any wrongdoing by Mr Whelan, and said he would co-operate with any investigation. | |
| However, police in Rio said they went to Mr Whelan's room in the Copacabana Palace but he was no longer there and they were told he had left an hour earlier. | |
| Mr Barucke said outside the hotel: "We have security camera images of him exiting the hotel through a service door." | |
| The other 11 suspects were arrested last week. |