# FIFA Officials Arrested On Corruption Charges **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [May 27, 2015, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-officials-arrested-on-corruption-charges/720946 "2015-05-27T06:23:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Mithras](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Mithras](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mithras)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2015, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-officials-arrested-on-corruption-charges/720946/41 "2015-05-27T16:25:26Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > :rolleyes: > Given that she probably hasn’t finished unpacking her office yet, I think you’ll need to look far & wide to find anyone who thinks Lynch did anything except make an announcement. > **[Why is the U.S. bringing down the hammer on FIFA? | CNN](https://www.cnn.com/2015/05/27/us/fifa-corruption-investigation-why/)** > > Why is the United States, a country where soccer ranks far below football and basketball in popularity, now taking top FIFA officials to court? > [@](#): > > Then there’s the second New York connection: Attorney General Loretta Lynch. > > She oversaw the case in Brooklyn before she was appointed to lead the Justice Department. ---
**Author:** ![doorhinge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a5b964/32.png) [@doorhinge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doorhinge)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2015, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-officials-arrested-on-corruption-charges/720946/42 "2015-05-27T16:37:12Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2015, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-officials-arrested-on-corruption-charges/720946/43 "2015-05-27T16:59:29Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > The [US Justice Departments](http://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/nine-fifa-officials-and-five-corporate-executives-indicted-racketeering-conspiracy-and) press release. [QUOTE=The DoJ’s Website] ACCESS DENIED You are not authorized to access this page. [/QUOTE] Shit, maybe they are after me next. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2015, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-officials-arrested-on-corruption-charges/720946/44 "2015-05-27T17:15:56Z")
> [@Mithras](#): > > [http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/27/us/fifa-corruption-investigation-why/](http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/27/us/fifa-corruption-investigation-why/) Huh. OK, I guess she can take credit for it after all. ---
**Author:** ![Asympotically\_fat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e47c2d/32.png) [@Asympotically\_fat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asympotically_fat)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2015, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-officials-arrested-on-corruption-charges/720946/45 "2015-05-27T17:16:43Z")
This is fantastic, I hope they get Sepp the Blatter too, he is like a cancer on the sport. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2015, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-officials-arrested-on-corruption-charges/720946/46 "2015-05-27T17:20:30Z")
Is this being done in the US because we are the one country on the planet that couldn’t give a crap about football? Better chance of getting an unbiased jury, unbribed witnesses and all that? ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2015, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-officials-arrested-on-corruption-charges/720946/47 "2015-05-27T17:36:26Z")
> [@](#): > > “He is the president, he is the president and in two days there are elections. If the 209 member associations, they re-elect him, then he is the president for the next four years.” I guess presiding from prison would be possible, especially if the senior officials he’s presiding over are in there with him. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2015, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-officials-arrested-on-corruption-charges/720946/48 "2015-05-27T17:36:33Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Is this being done in the US because we are the one country on the planet that couldn’t give a crap about football? Better chance of getting an unbiased jury, unbribed witnesses and all that? The country where football has one of the highest participation levels of all sports? If not caring much about football was the criteria then surely India, Pakistan, China, Indonesia or Australia would be better choices? ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2015, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-officials-arrested-on-corruption-charges/720946/49 "2015-05-27T17:38:11Z")
> [@amanset](#): > > Shit, maybe they are after me next. Coventry City fans are next on the list.😉 Link works fine for me. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2015, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-officials-arrested-on-corruption-charges/720946/50 "2015-05-27T17:42:52Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Is this being done in the US because we are the one country on the planet that couldn’t give a crap about football? Better chance of getting an unbiased jury, unbribed witnesses and all that? I guess it’s more that the US has a) the resources, b) the international reach, c) the international clout and d) the enabling legislation (eg I’m not sure the UK has anything of quite the scope of RICO). You’d be able to get un-hobbled juries in most countries though. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2015, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-officials-arrested-on-corruption-charges/720946/51 "2015-05-27T20:12:50Z")
For reasons that aren’t entirely clear, the US has a very high level of _playing_ soccer (especially among children), but a very low level of watching it professionally. I don’t _think_ that FIFA has its tendrils insinuated deeply into US youth soccer. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2015, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-officials-arrested-on-corruption-charges/720946/52 "2015-05-27T20:41:17Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > Is this being done in the US because we are the one country on the planet that couldn’t give a crap about football? Better chance of getting an unbiased jury, unbribed witnesses and all that? The US is one of the largest media markets for soccer, despite the perception among some that nobody here cares about it. 27 million people watched the 2014 World Cup finals in the US. Granted, that’s like, 1/4 of a Superbowl, but it’s still a pretty big deal. ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2015, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-officials-arrested-on-corruption-charges/720946/53 "2015-05-27T21:13:01Z")
Woohoo, this is indeed a happy day. It’s a shame they haven’t swept up Blatter as well but one can only hope. ---
**Author:** ![chizzuk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@chizzuk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chizzuk)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2015, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-officials-arrested-on-corruption-charges/720946/54 "2015-05-27T21:58:07Z")
[Onion: FIFA Frantically Announces 2015 Summer World Cup in United States](http://www.theonion.com/article/fifa-frantically-announces-2015-summer-world-cup-u-50525) ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2015, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-officials-arrested-on-corruption-charges/720946/55 "2015-05-27T22:19:28Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > The US is one of the largest media markets for soccer, despite the perception among some that nobody here cares about it. 27 million people watched the 2014 World Cup finals in the US. Granted, that’s like, 1/4 of a Superbowl, but it’s still a pretty big deal. It’s not just domestic viewing figures, US corporations are major sponsors. It’s easy marketing that reaches all sorts of odd corners of the globe. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2015, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-officials-arrested-on-corruption-charges/720946/56 "2015-05-27T22:41:00Z")
I wonder if Michael Garcia got involved in this investigation. His predecessor as Federal Prosecutor for Southern New York is now the head of the FBI, and Loretta Lynch was the federal prosecutor in Brooklyn when Garcia was in Manhattan. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2015, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-officials-arrested-on-corruption-charges/720946/57 "2015-05-27T23:42:47Z")
> [@Rick\_Kitchen](#): > > I wonder if Michael Garcia got involved in this investigation. His predecessor as Federal Prosecutor for Southern New York is now the head of the FBI, and Loretta Lynch was the federal prosecutor in Brooklyn when Garcia was in Manhattan. According to some articles I read, Garcia was extensively interviewed by the DOJ over the past couple years. Not surprising, given that he resigned when FIFA elected to suppress his report. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2015, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-officials-arrested-on-corruption-charges/720946/58 "2015-05-28T00:23:29Z")
> [@ISiddiqui](#): > > Also the world of soccer has never loved the United States more than it does now ;). We’re happy to do our part, as long as we don’t have to watch the damned game. The news quoted one FIFA guy who expressed the hope that this incident will not cast a shadow over the other things FIFA does. Even I, a mere Yank, know enough about the sleaziness of FIFA to wonder if the additional shadowing will even be noticed. Required John Oliver rant: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/DlJEt2KU33I/maxresdefault.jpg "FIFA and the World Cup: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlJEt2KU33I) ---
**Author:** ![jsquire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce73a5/32.png) [@jsquire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsquire)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2015, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-officials-arrested-on-corruption-charges/720946/59 "2015-05-28T00:57:26Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > For reasons that aren’t entirely clear, the US has a very high level of _playing_ soccer (especially among children), but a very low level of watching it professionally. I don’t _think_ that FIFA has its tendrils insinuated deeply into US youth soccer. The reasons are fairly clear to me. Attending a sporting event is at least as much about the atmosphere as it is about the actual contest itself. That intense, passionate atmosphere in overseas football hasn’t come to the USA, at least not yet. So it’s actual soccer fans at US matches, rather than people looking to be part of a loud, boozy and aggressive group of like minded people. Here that role is filled by football (college even more so than NFL) and, in some places, the NHL. ---
**Author:** ![russian\_heel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f05b48/32.png) [@russian\_heel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/russian_heel)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2015, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-officials-arrested-on-corruption-charges/720946/60 "2015-05-28T06:17:17Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > True so FOX can’t really blame her but that doesn’t really slow them down trying to tie it to others. Oh, no the Right has already questioned why the black attorney general of the black Democrat President is wasting taxpayer dollars with soccer. Headline to a link to an article (which doesn’t even say anything of the sort) on the Drudge Report: LYNCH PRIORITIES: WORLD SOCCER? No, idiot. Lynch priorities: money laundering, wire fraud, bribery and worse taking place on American soil, and using American institutions. I don’t care if its Irish Hurling, a racket is a racket. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-officials-arrested-on-corruption-charges/720946.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fifa-officials-arrested-on-corruption-charges/720946.md?page=4)