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Top former Fifa official faces bribery and racketeering charges in New York court Top former Fifa official pleads not guilty to bribery and racketeering charges
(about 4 hours later)
A top former Fifa official is due in court in the US to face racketeering and bribery charges in a corruption case that has sent shock waves through the soccer world. Jeffrey Webb, one of seven high-ranking officials of soccer’s world governing body Fifa who were arrested in Switzerland on corruption charges, pleaded not guilty in US federal court on Saturday.
Extradited to the United States, the former Fifa vice-president and president of the Concacaf regional soccer federation, appeared at a hearing in Brooklyn, New York. A US lawyer for him declined to comment.
Webb faces US charges of racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud and money laundering. He was released on $10m bond, co-signed by family members and secured by properties, vehicles, personal possessions and financial assets. No trial date was set.
The 50-year-old Cayman Islands national is among nine soccer officials and five marketing executives charged by the US Justice Department for allegedly exploiting the sport for their own gain through bribes of more than $150m over 24 years.
He was one of seven soccer officials arrested in Zurich on 27 May, two days before Fifa’s annual congress, as authorities unveiled a case that roiled the soccer world.
US authorities say their investigation, paralleling a separate Swiss inquiry, has exposed complex money laundering schemes, millions of dollars in untaxed incomes and tens of millions in offshore accounts held by Fifa officials.
Webb has been provisionally banned from his posts at Fifa and Concacaf. According to the indictment, Webb used his influential positions to solicit bribes from sports marketing companies in exchange for the commercial rights to soccer matches.
One $500,000 bribe payment allegedly went to build a swimming pool at Webb’s house in Loganville, Georgia, according to the indictment.
On 3 July, Cayman Islands officials announced separate charges against Webb in an unrelated healthcare fraud case.
Related: Concacaf announces split with Brazilian marketing firm amid Fifa scandalRelated: Concacaf announces split with Brazilian marketing firm amid Fifa scandal
Prosecutors say Jeffrey Webb will be arraigned in federal court in Brooklyn on Saturday.
The 50-year-old Webb was among seven Fifa officials detained in Switzerland. The rest are fighting extradition.
Prosecutors allege the defendants plotted to pay bribes of more than $150m over a 24-year period. The payments were tied to the award of broadcasting and hosting rights for the World Cup and other tournaments.
Since the indictment, Webb was banned provisionally and replaced as the Fifa vice-president from the North and Central American and Caribbean region. Webb was also president of the regional governing body Concacaf.