Share

Swiss extradite FIFA bribery case suspect

Bern - Switzerland's justice ministry says former Venezuela soccer federation president, Rafael Esquivel, has been extradited to face bribery charges in the United States in the widening FIFA case.

The Swiss office says two American police officers "took charge of him in Zurich and accompanied him on the flight to New York" on Monday.

Esquivel should appear in federal court in Brooklyn within 24 hours.

He was detained by Swiss authorities since being arrested at a Zurich hotel last May, and finally agreed last month to be extradited.

American prosecutors allege Esquivel took bribes worth millions of dollars linked to Copa America tournaments, including one hosted by Venezuela.

A U.S. indictment noted that Esquivel owned several residential properties in Florida.

Two soccer officials remain detained in Switzerland in the FIFA case.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
loading... Live
Pakistan 0
New Zealand 0/0
Voting Booth
Should the Proteas pick Faf du Plessis for the T20 World Cup in West Indies and the United States in June?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Faf still has a lot to give ...
64% - 366 votes
No! It's time to move on ...
36% - 207 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE