FIFA Corruption: Several Officials Convicted or Pleaded Guilty Since 2013, While Some Recent Cases Were Dismissed on DOJ Policy Grounds
Dozens of FIFA officials pleaded guilty or were convicted between 2013 and 2017 for accepting over $150 million in bribes, but since 2023 several defendants secured acquittals, dismissals, or extradition blocks as prosecutions faltered.
- 1Chuck Blazer, Jeffrey Webb, José Maria Marin, and Juan Ángel Napout pleaded guilty or were convicted by juries between 2013 and 2017, with trials revealing at least $150 million in bribes for World Cup hosting and broadcast rights.
- 2Manuel Burga was acquitted in December 2017, and Judge Chen dismissed charges against Hernan Lopez and Full Play Group in May 2026 after DOJ stated the case no longer aligned with administration priorities.
- 3Trinidad and Tobago permanently stayed Jack Warner's extradition in September 2024, and Argentina blocked extradition of Hugo Jinkis and Mariano Jinkis in 2016.
- 4FIFA established a Governance Committee in February 2016, but the independent Audit & Compliance Chairman resigned in protest that same year, and a 2025 stakeholder letter argued FIFA remains poorly governed.
- 5Swiss prosecutors opened criminal proceedings against Sepp Blatter in 2015 and Gianni Infantino in 2020; the Infantino case closed without charges in October 2023.
The Full Investigation
4 sections · 4 min read
Proven Convictions and Guilty Pleas
Chuck Blazer, a senior CONCACAF official, pleaded guilty in November 2013 to 10 counts including money laundering, racketeering, and tax evasion, according to the Los Angeles Times. Blazer admitted to conspiring with FIFA officials to accept bribes for the 1998 and 2010 World Cup host selections and agreed to cooperate with federal authorities, wearing a recording device.
Jeffrey Webb, arrested in Zurich on May 27, 2015, pleaded guilty that November to racketeering, wire fraud, and money laundering charges, according to Wikipedia. He agreed to forfeit more than $6.7 million as part of his plea agreement.
On December 22, 2017, José Maria Marin and Juan Ángel Napout were convicted for roles in a racketeering conspiracy after accepting bribes in exchange for granting television and marketing rights, according to Deutsche Welle and The Guardian. The trial lasted five weeks with 28 prosecution witnesses and revealed at least $150 million in bribes, The Guardian reported. According to Deutsche Welle, Napout accepted $10.5 million in bribes while Marin took $6.55 million. ESPN Deportes reported that Napout was sentenced to nine years in prison on August 29, 2018.
Alejandro Burzaco pleaded guilty in 2015 and forfeited $21.6 million, according to the Buenos Aires Times. He cooperated with prosecutors as a star witness and was sentenced to time served on May 12, 2023, the outlet reported.
According to the LSE US Centre, US jurisdiction was based on use of the US banking system and CONCACAF offices in New York and Miami.
Note: This article tracks developments through mid-2026 where sourced, extending beyond the original December 2024 scope.
Acquittals, Dismissals, and Extradition Blocks
Manuel Burga was found not guilty on December 26, 2017, of a single racketeering conspiracy charge, according to The Guardian. The outlet reported that Burga was the first person acquitted among over 40 charged in the FIFA investigation, with his defense arguing there was insufficient evidence showing Burga received bribe money.
Hernan Lopez and Full Play Group were convicted by jury in 2023, according to US Supreme Court documents. Judge Chen overturned the convictions in September 2023, the documents show. In December 2024, CNN reported that the Justice Department moved to dismiss charges. The Second Circuit Court reinstated the convictions in July 2025, according to the Supreme Court documents. However, Judge Chen granted dismissal of the reinstated convictions on May 27, 2026, after the DOJ stated the case no longer aligns with administration priorities, CNN reported.
According to Arise News, Trinidad and Tobago's High Court permanently stayed extradition proceedings against Jack Warner in September 2024, ruling that no formal extradition treaty existed between Trinidad and the US. The New York Times reported that Hugo Jinkis and Mariano Jinkis avoided prosecution since Argentina blocked their extradition in 2016. The outlet further reported that the pair voluntarily traveled to New York in May 2026 to negotiate plea deals.
FIFA Governance Reforms and Internal Investigations
Following the 2015 indictments, FIFA implemented institutional reforms. According to FIFA, the organization's Governance Committee was established after February 2016 reforms approved by the Extraordinary FIFA Congress.
However, FIFA reported that Domenico Scala resigned as Chairman of the Audit & Compliance Committee in May 2016 in protest against reforms allowing the Council to appoint committee members on an interim basis. According to The Guardian, an open letter from stakeholders and observers on May 27, 2025, expressed the evaluative opinion that FIFA is arguably more poorly governed in 2025 than it was 10 years ago. No FIFA response to this assessment is available in the sourced record.
According to Deutsche Welle, FIFA's Ethics Committee cleared Gianni Infantino in August 2016 after a formal investigation into private jet flights and hiring practices.
Open: The full scope of institutional changes FIFA implemented beyond the Governance Committee, and whether independent assessments have measured their effectiveness.; Whether the bribery allegations regarding Qatar 2022 World Cup hosting reported by the Sunday Times have been subject to formal investigation or court proceedings.
Swiss Proceedings and Allegations Outside DOJ Scope
Wikipedia reports that the Swiss Attorney General announced criminal proceedings against Sepp Blatter on September 25, 2015, regarding criminal mismanagement and misappropriation. The Swiss proceedings represent a separate jurisdiction from the US DOJ case announced in May 2015 and ran in parallel. According to Wikipedia, Blatter was suspended from FIFA activities, with the ban reported to extend through 2027.
Deutsche Welle reported that a special prosecutor launched criminal proceedings against Gianni Infantino in July 2020 over secret meetings with Attorney General Michael Lauber. BBC Sport reported that Swiss prosecutors closed the criminal case against Infantino in October 2023 without charges.
Wikipedia reported that the Sunday Times published bribery allegations based on leaked documents regarding Qatar 2022 World Cup hosting rights.
Open: Whether any ongoing criminal or civil proceedings related to the 2015 indictments remain unresolved beyond those documented as closed or dismissed.; The full scope of institutional changes FIFA implemented beyond the Governance Committee, and whether independent assessments have measured their effectiveness.