The corruption scandal rocking world football governing body FIFA has continued to deepen with Wednesday’s Red Notices – international wanted persons alert – issued by INTERPOL for former FIFA vice president Jack Warner and five other persons wanted in the U.S. in relation to racketeering, corruption, conspiracy, etc.
Warner, former president of Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football, CONCACAF, is alleged to have received US$10 million in bribe money from FIFA and the wanted notice is to get him to the US for questioning. He was arrested and released last week in his country, Trinidad and Tobago, but it is not known whether authorities there will act on INTERPOL’s latest demand.
Also wanted are Nicolás Leoz from Paraguay and former FIFA executive member and President of the South American Football Confederation, CONMEBOL; Alejandro Burzaco from Argentina and controlling principal of sports marketing business Torneos y Competencias S.A. based in the country; Hugo Jinkis and Mariano Jinkis, also from Argentina and controlling principals of Full Play Group S.A., a sports marketing business based in Argentina, and; José Margulies (also known as José Lazaro), from Brazil and controlling principal of broadcasting businesses Valente Corp. and Somerton Ltd.
According to INTERPOL, a Red Notice does not equate an arrest warrant but rather an indication that the person is wanted, and the France-based body does not dispatch its personnel to arrest wanted persons.
“Only the law enforcement authorities of the INTERPOL member country where the individual is located have the legal authority to make an arrest,” the notice reads.