Ex-banker guilty in FIFA corruption case

In a Swiss criminal probe surrounding FIFA, an ex-bank employee has been found guilty of document forgery and failing to report suspected money laundering.

A former Swiss bank employee has been issued a summary penalty order and convicted of document forgery and failing to report suspected money laundering linked to world soccer's governing body, authorities say.

"Around two years after opening the investigations in the football cases, this conviction marks the conclusion of criminal proceedings in Switzerland," said a statement issued on Friday by the office of country's attorney-general (OAG) regarding the "first case in the series of football-related investigations".

"These proceedings were co-ordinated to end at the same time and benefited from good co-operation between the respective prosecution authorities. The OAG appreciates the efficient co-ordination with the US authorities."

The OAG did not name the individual but the Argentine Jorge Luis Arzuaga pled guilty to helping facilitate bribes to various officials in a New York federal court on Tuesday.

They included the former president of Argentina's football association and senior FIFA vice-president Julio Grondona.

The US Attorney's Office said at the time "Swiss authorities are expected to announce the resolution of charges against Arzuaga in a related matter soon".

Arzuaga will now forfeit just over a million dollars ($A1.3) to authorities in connection with his plea, the US Attorney's Office said.

The OAG said "payments unlawfully obtained by the bank employee as a result of these offences, which amounted to $US 650,000, will be forfeited to the Swiss general treasury.

"The summary penalty order in Switzerland is part of a process co-ordinated between the responsible American prosecution authority and the OAG in order to conclude proceedings at the same time.

"There will be no further proceedings in Switzerland concerning the offences for which the accused has already pled guilty in the USA."


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Source: AAP



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