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>Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter and ex-UEFA President Michel Platini were indicted in Switzerland on 02 November for fraud. The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) has alleged that both individuals carried out a $2.19 million (2 million Swiss francs) fraudulent transaction that involved FIFA remitting this sum to Platini.
Platini was hired by FIFA as a consultant from 1998 and 2002 and an official contract was made out giving him annual compensation of $328,000 (300,000 Swiss francs) for football services rendered.
This written contract was signed by Platini and Joseph (Sepp) Blatter who was then FIFA President. Platini invoiced FIFA for these charges and the same was paid in full.
FRANCE 24 English
Platini for some reason decided to ask for a payment of 2 million Swiss francs in 2011 and Blatter arranged with FIFA for the same to be remitted to Platini in early 2011. This payment was made just before Blatter was elected as FIFA President for his fourth term.
The OAG finds this payment suspicious as there is no written record of Platini providing any extra services. The OAG claims that this payment enriched Platini illegally and depleted FIFA’s accounts.
Blatter and Platini Deny Wrongdoing
Blatter claims that the 2 million in Swiss francs was paid to Platini due to an oral agreement the two made. The ex-FIFA president said that all of the responsible FIFA authorities signed-off on the payment and Platini paid the Swiss government taxes on this payment. This oral contract was once again for services rendered by Platini to FIFA during 1998 and 2002.
Platini claimed that the Swiss Public Prosecutor’s Office (MPC) was relentless in their quest to implicate him for wrongdoing when all he did was provide his services in good faith. He termed the allegations as unfair and unfounded and said he would challenge them in court.
Blatter said he was very optimistic about the upcoming trial in the Federal Criminal Court as he wanted this ordeal to come to an end
soon.
FIFA released a statement which said
As previously announced, FIFA has already taken steps in the Swiss courts to recover this sum from both individuals as it considers the money to have been illicitly paid by one to the other. If and when the funds are successfully recovered, they will be channelled back into soccer development, as they should have been in the first place.
