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Serious Fraud Office says it is looking at material relating to Fifa allegations Serious Fraud Office looking at material relating to Fifa allegations
(about 3 hours later)
Britain’s Serious Fraud Office has said it is actively assessing material relating to alleged corrupt payments to officials connected to Fifa.Britain’s Serious Fraud Office has said it is actively assessing material relating to alleged corrupt payments to officials connected to Fifa.
There had been suggestions that British authorities could open up a new front in the global investigations into world football’s governing body after the US Department of Justice issued a 47-count indictment charging 14 defendants with racketeering, wire fraud and money-laundering conspiracies.There had been suggestions that British authorities could open up a new front in the global investigations into world football’s governing body after the US Department of Justice issued a 47-count indictment charging 14 defendants with racketeering, wire fraud and money-laundering conspiracies.
While a criminal investigation has not been launched by the SFO, it released a statement on Friday which said: “The SFO continues actively to assess material in its possession and has made plain that it stands ready to assist continuing international criminal investigations.” While the SFO has not launched a criminal investigation, it released a statement on Friday that said: “The SFO continues actively to assess material in its possession and has made plain that it stands ready to assist continuing international criminal investigations.”
The SFO, which can investigate “cases that undermine UK commercial/financial PLC in general and the City of London in particular”, is believed to have been following claims of bribery concerning the decision in 2010 to award the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar respectively.The SFO, which can investigate “cases that undermine UK commercial/financial PLC in general and the City of London in particular”, is believed to have been following claims of bribery concerning the decision in 2010 to award the 2018 and 2022 World Cups to Russia and Qatar respectively.
England lost to Russia in bidding for the 2018 tournament, despite a lobbying push led by the prime minister, David Cameron, David Beckham and Prince William.England lost to Russia in bidding for the 2018 tournament, despite a lobbying push led by the prime minister, David Cameron, David Beckham and Prince William.
A statement was also put out on Friday by City of London police following the US indictment. The latter gives details of a meeting in London where bribes were said to have been discussed and alleges that bank accounts held by HSBC and Barclays were used to transfer funds, and gives details of a payment to “an account of a luxury yacht manufacturer” in the UK. The SFO has been “working closely with appropriate overseas” authorities in relation to Fifa, the SFO told the Conservative MP Damian Collins in November.
While not commenting on the status of any current cooperation with US authorities, City of London police said: “During the early stages of the Fifa investigation, City of London police, which is the national policing lead for fraud, assisted the FBI with its enquiries in respect to matters that had a UK nexus.” Collins has tweeted a copy of the letter from the SFO, which assures him that “every reasonable line of inquiry” is being pursued to ascertain whether its director has grounds to open an investigation.
The chairman of the Football Assocation, Greg Dyke, was asked earlier on Friday about supposed evidence that the FA was in possession of, relating to allegations of bribery concerning the awarding of the right to host the 2018 World Cup. Referring to whistleblowers, it encourages anyone with relevant information to comes forward and discuss with with the SFO’s intelligence unit.
SFO have said they have grounds to investigate #FIFA - here's a copy of the letter referred to in December's debate. pic.twitter.com/NaJGVv24H2
Collins, who has been pushing for an investigation to be launched into Fifa’s operations and the process of the bidding to host the World Cups in 2018 and 2022, wrote on his blog on Friday: “There would be clear grounds for an investigation. Fifa conducts part of its global business within the UK, and some of the key meetings between officials, which are being investigated by the FBI, took place in London during the Olympic Games in 2012.”
The City of London police also put out a statement on Friday following the US indictment. The latter gives details of a meeting in London where bribes were said to have been discussed and alleges that bank accounts held by HSBC and Barclays were used to transfer funds, and gives details of a payment to “an account of a luxury yacht manufacturer” in the UK.
While not commenting on the status of any current cooperation with US authorities, City of London police said: “During the early stages of the Fifa investigation, City of London police, which is the national policing lead for fraud, assisted the FBI with its inquiries in respect to matters that had a UK nexus.”
The chairman of the Football Association, Greg Dyke, was asked earlier on Friday about supposed evidence that the FA was in possession of, relating to allegations of bribery concerning the awarding of the right to host the 2018 World Cup.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “The government, the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, has got all that information.” Dyke added that the FA would “support and help” British authorities if they showed an inclination to get involved in pursuing the matter further.He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “The government, the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, has got all that information.” Dyke added that the FA would “support and help” British authorities if they showed an inclination to get involved in pursuing the matter further.
Related: Blatter waits on Fifa presidential vote as Dyke backs a Uefa World Cup boycottRelated: Blatter waits on Fifa presidential vote as Dyke backs a Uefa World Cup boycott
He said: “We would give them any evidence we have got.”He said: “We would give them any evidence we have got.”
Dyke later said: “You need to be careful about the evidence we have got because ... I wasn’t there at the time but I have looked into it and a lot of it is hearsay and gossip, not the sort of evidence that you would even use as a journalist, let alone in a prosecution.”Dyke later said: “You need to be careful about the evidence we have got because ... I wasn’t there at the time but I have looked into it and a lot of it is hearsay and gossip, not the sort of evidence that you would even use as a journalist, let alone in a prosecution.”