FIFA Investigation Updates: United States Requests Extradition of FIFA Officials

FIFA Extradition

On July 1, the United States formally requested the extradition of seven FIFA officials associated with DOJ's ongoing corruption investigation.  These extradition requests were submitted to Switzerland's Federal Office of Justice ("FOJ") and were based on allegations of criminal activity conducted in the United States.  These seven officials were formally indicted by the DOJ on May 27. With the formal extradition requests submitted, the Zurich Cantonal Police, acting for the FOJ, will oversee hearings on the extradition requests.  According to Swiss officials, the FOJ will rule on the extradition requests within a few weeks.  Once the FOJ rules on the requests, the ruling may be challenged before the Federal Criminal Court and ultimately the Federal Supreme Court, a process that could take months.  Despite the potential delays, Swiss officials have stated that the officials will not be granted bail because they are considered flight risks. Previous FCPA Scorecard coverage of this investigation can be found here and here.