Richard Lai, president of The Guam Football Association since 2001, pled guilty yesterday to two counts of wire fraud and one count of failing to disclose foreign bank accounts. His plea marks the first time that the U.S. investigation into FIFA corruption has indicted an official from outside the Americas. Although Guam is a U.S. Territory, the country competes with others in the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
Lai admitted to receiving $950,000 in bribes from AFC officials. In return, he informed them of the level of support certain candidates would likely receive in AFC and FIFA elections. Additionally, he helped them identify other officials who would accept bribes.
Lai also allegedly sold his own vote in the 2011 FIFA election for $100,000. Though unnamed in the Department of Justice document of the investigation, the official in question was in all likelihood Mohamed bin Hammam. The Qatari launched a campaign against Sepp Blatter in 2011, only to later withdraw from the election and receive a lifetime ban from FIFA for bribing Caribbean officials to vote for him.
Lai’s role as a member of FIFA’s Audit and Compliance Committee reflects the inveterate corruption in international soccer and the importance of a wholesale investigation. Lai had also served on the AFC executive committee since 2007 before being suspended from the organization. FIFA followed suit by issuing a 90 day interim suspension as it conducts its own investigation. The suspension will likely be extended within that window of time. Finally, Lai also has agreed to forfeit $1.1 million.
The18 Recommends For You
