Sepp Blatter is pelted with banknotes – Football | today.at
Sepp Blatter is threatened with charges! The allegations are steep: possible fraud, embezzlement and unfaithful business management. Blatter denies everything.
The Swiss Federal Prosecutor's Office in Bern asked former FIFA President Sepp Blatter about a million payments to former UEFA President Michel Platini. “I hope that we can complete the interrogation tomorrow,” said the 85-year-old Blatter, according to his spokesman.
Blatter had headed the world football association until his suspension in 2015. The investigation concerns the payment of 1.86 million euros from FIFA, which was then run by Blatter, to the former UEFA President Michel Platini in 2011. Swiss public prosecutors are investigating both former top officials for possible fraud. In the case of Blatter, there is also the suspicion of embezzlement and unfaithful business management, and in the case of Platini, the suspicion of participating in these processes. The federal prosecutor has not yet decided on possible charges.
The FIFA Ethics Committee banned Blatter and Platini six years ago, and for both of them the sanction, which was later reduced in length, meant the end of their careers. However, Blatter had previously announced his retirement from the top of FIFA. Both deny the allegations.
Platini received the money for consultancy work for Fifa between 1998 and 2002, wrote Blatter in a statement. Blatter's spokesman Thomas Renggli said that the corresponding social security contributions were deducted from the payment, and that Platini paid taxes on the amount in Switzerland. “Bribes are not taxed,” said Renggli of the German press agency.
