(CMR) A New York federal court ordered Jeffrey Webb, former FIFA vice president to forfeit $6.7 million for his role in the international sport’s massive bribery scandal on Wednesday.
Webb had previously pled guilty to racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy.
Webb agreed to the forfeiture, “which represents monies the defendant received as a result of his participation in bribery, fraud, embezzlement and money laundering” in connection with his role as an official with FIFA; the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football; and other soccer organizations, according to the Wednesday order.
Signed by U.S. District Judge Pamela K. Chen, the order states that the money needs to be
paid by July, 32 months after Webb’s November 2015 plea agreement with the government.
Webb was among the first high-ranking FIFA officials arrested three years ago in connection with an entrenched practice involving soccer officials and corporate executives in which hundreds of millions of dollars in bribes and kickbacks was exchanged for lucrative media and marketing rights to international soccer tournaments and other valuable rights, according to prosecutors.
Webb was one of eight guilty pleas in the case announced by the Department of Justice in December 2015, along with the arrests of then-CONCACAF President Alfredo Hawit and CONMEBOL President Juan Angel Napout, and charges against more than a dozen other defendants.
Last week it was announced that he had received permission to sell property in Atlanta. In other related news today his former business partner and co-accused in the local Care Pay scam was just ordered to pay almost CI$1 million in restitution for that fraud or spend an additional 6 months in jail.
Webb is expected to be sentenced on March 7.
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