The former president of El Salvador's soccer federation was sentenced on Thursday (September 29) to 16 months in U.S. prison after pleading guilty to a charge arising from a global soccer corruption probe involving the payment of bribes to stage and broadcast matches.

Reynaldo Vasquez, 66, the former president of the Federacion Salvadorena de Futbol (FESFUT), or the Salvadoran Football Federation, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Pamela Chen in Brooklyn, New York. In pleading guilty last year to a racketeering conspiracy charge, Vasquez acknowledged receiving a $350,000 bribe in 2012 from Miami-based Media World, which brokers rights to broadcasts targeting Spanish speakers, to induce FESFUT to arrange media and marketing rights to qualifier matches for the 2018 World Cup.

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Vasquez' case is part of a sprawling probe into corruption at&nbsp;FIFA, the world's soccer governing body, that has yielded 27 guilty pleas and two convictions at trial. Breon Peace, the top federal prosecutor in Brooklyn, said in a statement that Vasquez and the other defendants "disgraced themselves by lining their pockets with hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes, at the expense of a beautiful sport."

Vasquez led FESFUT in 2009 and 2010.&nbsp;FIFA&nbsp;banned him for life and fined him 500,000 Swiss francs ($512,610.21) in October 2019 after an internal ethics committee found him guilty of bribery.

The former president of El Salvador's soccer federation was sentenced on Thursday (September 29) to 16 months in U.S. prison after pleading guilty to a charge arising from a global soccer corruption probe involving the payment of bribes to stage and broadcast matches.

The former president of El Salvador's soccer federation was sentenced on Thursday (September 29) to 16 months in U.S. prison after pleading guilty to a charge arising from a global soccer corruption probe involving the payment of bribes to stage and broadcast matches. Reynaldo Vasquez, 66, the former president of the Federacion Salvadorena de Futbol (FESFUT), or the Salvadoran Football Federation, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Pamela Chen in Brooklyn, New York. In pleading guilty last year to a racketeering conspiracy charge, Vasquez acknowledged receiving a $350,000 bribe in 2012 from Miami-based Media World, which brokers rights to broadcasts targeting Spanish speakers, to induce FESFUT to arrange media and marketing rights to qualifier matches for the 2018 World Cup. ALSO READ | 'Colour of mourning': Denmark's World Cup 'protest' kit is a statement against Qatar's human rights record Vasquez' case is part of a sprawling probe into corruption at FIFA, the world's soccer governing body, that has yielded 27 guilty pleas and two convictions at trial. Breon Peace, the top federal prosecutor in Brooklyn, said in a statement that Vasquez and the other defendants "disgraced themselves by lining their pockets with hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes, at the expense of a beautiful sport." Vasquez led FESFUT in 2009 and 2010. FIFA banned him for life and fined him 500,000 Swiss francs ($512,610.21) in October 2019 after an internal ethics committee found him guilty of bribery.

Former president of El Salvador's soccer federation sentenced to 16 months in FIFA corruption case

FIFA, world soccer`s governing body, will receive $201 million in compensation for losses sustained in global soccer corruption schemes, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), said on Tuesday. 
 
The money was seized from the bank accounts of former officials who were involved in the schemes and then prosecuted following a probe into years of corruption within world soccer.

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Since the DOJ unveiled the corruption probe in 2015, more than 50 defendants have been criminally charged. 27 people and four corporate entities have pleaded guilty, and two people were convicted at trial. 
 
"Today’s announcement confirms that money stolen by corrupt soccer officials and sports marketing executives through fraud and greed will be returned to where it belongs and used to benefit the sport,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jacquelyn Kasulis for the Eastern District of New York in a statement. 
 
“From the start, this investigation and prosecution have been focused on bringing wrongdoers to justice and restoring ill-gotten gains to those who work for the benefit of the beautiful game." 
 
The DOJ said $32.3 million in forfeited funds has been approved for an initial distribution to FIFA, CONCACAF, the confederation responsible for soccer in North and Central America, CONMEBOL, which represents soccer in South America, and various constituent national soccer federations. 
 
The funds will go into a new World Football Remission Fund to help finance football-related projects across the globe. 
 
"I am delighted to see that money which was illegally siphoned out of football is now coming back to be used for its proper purposes, as it should have been in the first place," said FIFA President Gianni Infantino in a statement https://www.fifa.com/about-fifa/organisation/media-releases/us-department-of-justice-awards-fifa-foundation-usd-201-million-compensation. 
 
"I would like to thank the U.S. authorities for the trust placed in FIFA, and we will make sure that these funds are used properly and bring tangible benefits for people who really need it." 
 
Many of the defendants were ordered to forfeit assets obtained through criminal activity. 
 
Under U.S. law the DOJ has the authority to distribute the proceeds of forfeited assets to victims of crimes, including to the soccer organisations that were defrauded. 
 
Reynaldo Vasquez, the former president of El Salvador`s soccer federation, pleaded guilty on Monday to a racketeering conspiracy charge arising from a corruption investigation involving the payment of bribes to stage and broadcast matches. 
 
"Kickbacks and bribes have a way of spreading like a disease through corrupt groups; pure and simple greed keeps the graft going,” said Assistant Director-in-Charge Michael J. Driscoll of the FBI’s New York Field Office. 
 
“Not one official in this investigation seemed to care about the damage being done to a sport that millions around the world revere. 
 
"The only silver lining is the money will now help underprivileged people who need it, not the wealthy executives who just wanted it to get richer. 
 
"Our work isn’t finished, and our promise to those who love the game - we won’t give up until everyone sees justice for what they’ve done."

FIFA, world soccer`s governing body, will receive $201 million in compensation for losses sustained in global soccer corruption schemes, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), said on Tuesday.

FIFA, world soccer`s governing body, will receive $201 million in compensation for losses sustained in global soccer corruption schemes, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), said on Tuesday. The money was seized from the bank accounts of former officials who were involved in the schemes and then prosecuted following a probe into years of corruption within world soccer. ALSO READ: Medics who saved Christian Eriksen at Euros to receive UEFA President's Award Since the DOJ unveiled the corruption probe in 2015, more than 50 defendants have been criminally charged. 27 people and four corporate entities have pleaded guilty, and two people were convicted at trial. "Today’s announcement confirms that money stolen by corrupt soccer officials and sports marketing executives through fraud and greed will be returned to where it belongs and used to benefit the sport,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Jacquelyn Kasulis for the Eastern District of New York in a statement. “From the start, this investigation and prosecution have been focused on bringing wrongdoers to justice and restoring ill-gotten gains to those who work for the benefit of the beautiful game." The DOJ said $32.3 million in forfeited funds has been approved for an initial distribution to FIFA, CONCACAF, the confederation responsible for soccer in North and Central America, CONMEBOL, which represents soccer in South America, and various constituent national soccer federations. The funds will go into a new World Football Remission Fund to help finance football-related projects across the globe. "I am delighted to see that money which was illegally siphoned out of football is now coming back to be used for its proper purposes, as it should have been in the first place," said FIFA President Gianni Infantino in a statement https://www.fifa.com/about-fifa/organisation/media-releases/us-department-of-justice-awards-fifa-foundation-usd-201-million-compensation. "I would like to thank the U.S. authorities for the trust placed in FIFA, and we will make sure that these funds are used properly and bring tangible benefits for people who really need it." Many of the defendants were ordered to forfeit assets obtained through criminal activity. Under U.S. law the DOJ has the authority to distribute the proceeds of forfeited assets to victims of crimes, including to the soccer organisations that were defrauded. Reynaldo Vasquez, the former president of El Salvador`s soccer federation, pleaded guilty on Monday to a racketeering conspiracy charge arising from a corruption investigation involving the payment of bribes to stage and broadcast matches. "Kickbacks and bribes have a way of spreading like a disease through corrupt groups; pure and simple greed keeps the graft going,” said Assistant Director-in-Charge Michael J. Driscoll of the FBI’s New York Field Office. “Not one official in this investigation seemed to care about the damage being done to a sport that millions around the world revere. "The only silver lining is the money will now help underprivileged people who need it, not the wealthy executives who just wanted it to get richer. "Our work isn’t finished, and our promise to those who love the game - we won’t give up until everyone sees justice for what they’ve done."

FIFA to receive over $201 million in compensation from corruption probe

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Former president of El Salvador's soccer federation sentenced to 16 months in FIFA corruption case

FIFA to receive over $201 million in compensation from corruption probe