Second FIFA official extradited to US

Marin used to head Brazil's top football organisation Keystone

Another FIFA official has been extradited to the United States from Switzerland as part of justice authorities’ probe into world football’s governing body. 

José Maria Marin, former president of the Brazilian Football Confederation, was turned over to two American police officers on Tuesday. They accompanied him to New York, according to the US Justice Department.

Appearing in court later the same day, Marin pleaded not guilty to the charges levelled against him, and was released on bail.

Marin’s extradition had been announced last week. He was arrested along with six other FIFA officials in May and has been in Swiss custody ever since. The US had submitted a request for his extradition in July based on an arrest warrant issued by the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York. 

Marin is accused of accepting millions of dollars of bribes from sports marketing companies concerning the sale of marketing rights for the Copa America tournaments for 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2023, as well as for the Copa do Brasil for the 2013-2022 period. 

He also faces allegations of sharing the money with other football officials. He is accused of diverting funds from two of FIFA’s continental confederations, as well as from the Brazilian football association. 

Marin had earlier opposed his extradition but agreed to be sent to the US during a hearing on October 27.

Former FIFA vice-president Jeffrey Webb from the Caymans has already been extradited to the US.

Marin’s departure leaves five FIFA officials in Swiss custody who are currently contesting extradition. They are Julio Rocha, former president of the Nicaraguan football federation, Costas Takkas, who worked for the Cayman Islands federation, Rafael Esquivel of the Venezuelan football federation, Eugenio Figueredo, a senior football official from Uruguay, and Eduardo Li, former president of Costa Rica’s football federation.