MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 22nd December, 2020) FIFA has lodged a criminal complaint against former boss Sepp Blatter and his top management team over a museum in Zurich which is set to cost up to half a billion Swiss francs ($565 million).
In a press release published on Tuesday, FIFA said it had notified Zurich's prosecutor after a forensic audit found possibly criminal dealings in the commissioning of the sprawling FIFA museum building in the Swiss city.
"FIFA has lodged a criminal complaint with Zurich's cantonal prosecutor as evidence of suspected criminal mismanagement by FIFA's former management and companies appointed by them in relation to the 'Haus zur Enge' has surfaced following an investigation by external experts," the statement read.
According to FIFA, previous management dished out 140 million Swiss francs into renovating the Haus zur Enge and locked the organization into a long-term rental agreement on unfavorable terms, costing an additional 360 million Swiss francs through 2045.
"[The] audit revealed a wide range of suspicious circumstances and management failures, some of which may be criminal in nature and which therefore need to be properly investigated by the relevant authorities. We came to the conclusion that we had no choice other than to report the case to state prosecutors," FIFA Deputy Secretary General (Administration) Alasdair Bell said in the statement.
The evidence was also forwarded to the independent Ethics Committee, the press release read.
The 10-story Haus zur Enge building in the glitzy downtown area of Zurich began in 2013 and is outfitted with over 30,000 square feet of exhibition space and has 34 apartments and office space with 140 workstations.
The museum was seen as Blatter's pet project, but the embattled former official was not present at the 2016 launch ceremony because of a six-year ban from all football activity over corruption accusations issued by the Ethics Committee.
Blatter is also subject of another criminal investigation over allegedly illicit payments but is yet to face any charges.
