Former Brazil chief Jose Maria Marin in US court

November 04, 2015 | 09:52

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Former Brazilian Football Confederation president Jose Maria Marin appeared in an American court on Tuesday after being extradited from Switzerland to face charges in connection with the FIFA corruption scandal.

File photo of former Brazilian Football Confederation president Jose Maria Marin. (AFP PHOTO/YASUYOSHI CHIBA)

NEW YORK: Former Brazilian Football Confederation president Jose Maria Marin appeared in an American court on Tuesday (Nov 3) after being extradited from Switzerland to face charges in connection with the FIFA corruption scandal.

Marin, who was taken into custody in Switzerland in May, stands accused of having taken bribes worth millions of dollars from sports marketing companies in connection with the sale of rights for the Copa America tournaments for 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2023, and for the Copa do Brasil for the period from 2013 to 2022. He appeared in a US federal court in Brooklyn.

Swiss prosecutors said last week that he had agreed to be extradited. He was handed over to two US police officers in Zurich on Tuesday who accompanied him on the flight to New York, Swiss authorities said.

The 83-year-old Brazilian had been arrested by Swiss police in Zurich along with six other FIFA officials on May 27 on the basis of an arrest request from the United States.

The charges rocked world football's governing body as well as regional groups in North and South America. Marin is alleged to have shared bribes from Copa America with other football officials.

Attorneys had originally opposed Marin's extradition. Like Marin, former FIFA vice-president Jeffrey Webb also agreed to extradition to the United States. He was handed over to the US authorities on Jul 15. Five other officials arrested in May are still opposing extradition.

AFP

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