Swiss prosecutor indicts German officials over 2006 World Cup fraud
The 2006 World Cup tournament has been shrouded in allegations of corruption
Keystone / Peter Powell
Swiss prosecutors have officially accused three former German football officials and a Swiss ex-secretary general of FIFA of corruption in relation to the 2006 football World Cup in Germany.
This content was published on
2 minutes
swissinfo.ch/mga
Português
pt
MP suíço acusa cartolas alemães de fraude na Copa do Mundo de 2006
Tuesday’s indictment by the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) names Horst Rudolf Schmidt, Theo Zwanziger and Wolfgang Niersbach, former members of the German Football Association; and Urs Linsi, who once held the second most powerful position at FIFA. Schmidt, Zwanziger and Linsi are accused of fraud, while Niersbach is suspected of complicity in the alleged fraud.
All four accused deny the allegations.
The allegation centres on a CHF10 million loan taken out in 2002 by former German football star Franz Beckenbauer, who helped coordinate Germany’s bid to stage the 2006 World Cup. Although Beckenbauer also faces OAG charges, his case is being conducted separately due to his health problems, a statement readExternal link.
The four people named in Tuesday’s indictment are accused of covering up repayment of the suspicious loan by passing it off as a contribution towards the 2006 World Cup opening ceremony. The OAG says the CHF10 million was in fact used to pay disgraced former FIFA official Mohammed Bin Hammam – but cannot ascertain exactly what the payment was used for.
Although Beckenbauer raised the money in the form of a personal loan from a prominent financier, the OAG says the sum of €6.7 million (CHF10 million at exchange rates at the time) was fraudulently repaid in 2005 through a German Football Association account via FIFA.
The award of numerous past World Cups, which generate billions of dollars in revenue, has long been associated with corruption and kickbacks. Although world football’s governing body FIFA claims that it has since cleaned up its act, the 2006 World Cup edition is one that has attracted much suspicion.
The indictment is the result of a four-year investigation by the OAG, which last month decided to drop proceedings on alleged money laundering linked to the case.
Most over-65s in Switzerland regularly use the internet
This content was published on
The digital divide is narrowing faster than expected in Switzerland. A study published on Wednesday reveals that nine out of ten over-65s use the internet.
Will Swiss president be forbidden from speaking English to counterparts?
This content was published on
Switzerland's president, Karin Keller-Sutter, should use one of the country's four national languages when communicating with international organisations, and not English, according to a motion that passed on Wednesday.
Canton Valais gives CHF10 million to Blatten after devastating landslide
This content was published on
Canton Valais is releasing CHF10 million ($12.1 million) in emergency funds for the mountain village of Blatten, which was wiped out by a devastating glacier collapse last week.
Elderly Swiss-Tunisian man held in prison in Tunisia
This content was published on
An 81-year-old Swiss-Tunisian dual national is being held in a Tunisian prison. The former manager of the UN refugee agency UNHCR was arrested a year ago, according to Amnesty International.
Major traffic jams expected in Switzerland for Whitsun weekend
This content was published on
Long traffic jams can be expected near the Gotthard Tunnel, the main north-south transalpine route in Switzerland, on Friday and Saturday afternoons due to the Whitsun holiday.
Swiss defence minister launches probe into alleged spy links with Russia
This content was published on
Swiss Defence Minister Martin Pfister has launched an investigation into the alleged disclosure of sensitive information by the cyber division of the Federal Intelligence Service to Russia.
PFAS-contaminated meat still sold in eastern Switzerland
This content was published on
Meat containing excessive levels of toxic PFAS "forever chemicals" produced by farms in canton St Gallen is still being sold.
Violations in Gaza by ‘both sides’ must be condemned, says Swiss minister
This content was published on
Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis has admitted that Israel is failing in its obligations by hindering humanitarian aid to Gaza.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Former FIFA executive Linsi added to corruption probe
This content was published on
Last year, the Swiss Attorney General opened a probe against four members of the German World Cup organising committee,External link including football legend Franz Beckenbauer. The allegations ranged from fraud to money laundering, criminal mismanagement and misappropriation. The Attorney General’s office on Wednesday confirmed media reports, including the investigative website Inside Paradeplatz, that Linsi was…
FIFA opens World Cup 2006 probe against Beckenbauer
This content was published on
The ethics committee of Zurich-based FIFA, world football’s governing body, opened a formal bribery investigation on Tuesday against Beckenbauer and five officials from Germany’s 2006 World Cup bid team: former German Football Association (DFB) chief Wolfgang Niersbach, who resigned over the affair last year, his predecessor Theo Zwanziger, Helmut Sandrock, Horst Schmidt and Stefan Hans.…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.