US prosecutors indict 16 more in Fifa corruption investigation

FootballSportJames Benge

Five current and past members of the Fifa executive committee were among 16 men indicted by US prosecutors as part of their investigation into corruption in football.

In a dramatic dawn raid on a Zurich hotel on Thursday Juan Angel Napout, the Paraguayan president of the South American confederation CONMEBOL, and Alfredo Hawit of Honduras, head of the CONCACAF governing body, were led away by Swiss federal police.

Ricardo Teixeira, the head of the Brazilian FA when it held the 2014 World Cup, was also indicted, bringing the total of current and former member of the Fifa ExCo to have been charged up to 10.

In a statement the US Department of Justice said: ""Two generations of soccer officials abused their positions of trust for personal gain, frequently through an alliance of unscrupulous sports marketing executives who shut out competitors and kepty highly lucrative contrats for themselves through the systematic payment of bribes and kickbacks."

US investigations, led by attorney general Loretta Lynch, have focused on the issue of bribes taken for television and marketing contracts, whilst a separate case by Swiss authorities is examining the awarding of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup.

The indictments come as football's governing body committed to what has been described as a "comprehensive reform package" that could include expanding the World Cup to 40 teams.

ArticleUS prosecutors indict 16 more in Fifa corruption investigationFIFARicardo TeixeiraUS prosecutors indict 16 more in Fifa corruption investigationFifa corruption scandal: Two officials arrested in pre-dawn raids at Zurich hotelPublishedImageMedium width4Thursday, December 3, 2015 - 19:28Ricardo Teixeira: Among the men indictedOn