Proceedings against former FIFA official Valcke dropped
Published: Friday, Oct 11th 2024, 12:50
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The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland has discontinued further criminal proceedings against Jérôme Valcke. This is the fourth time that proceedings conducted in Switzerland against the former Secretary General of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (Fifa) have been dropped.
The proceedings opened in November 2015 were the first to be brought against Valcke. The high-ranking FIFA official was charged with embezzlement in connection with ticket sales for the 2014, 2018 and 2022 World Cups. There were also allegations of damage to computer data and unjustified invoicing of fees.
The Secretary General was then suspended by his employer. As a result, numerous proceedings were annulled due to secret contacts between federal prosecutors and Fifa members.
Valcke must bear part of the costs
Two thirds of the costs of the case, around CHF 63,000, will be borne by the Federal Treasury and one third by Valcke. The reasons given for this in the discontinuation order of October 4, 2024 were contested by him.
Valcke's defense lawyers are of the opinion that "this complete dismissal of the case was a matter of course". Valcke has been found innocent for the fourth time after an excessively long trial, which was partially annulled following the refusal of three federal prosecutors, lawyers Patrick Hunziker and Elisa Bianchetti told the Keystone-SDA news agency on request.
In June 2022, Valcke was sentenced to a conditional prison sentence of eleven months by the Federal Criminal Court in the appeal proceedings for the FIFA TV rights. He appealed against this sentence to the Federal Supreme Court.
The now 64-year-old was FIFA Secretary General from 2007 to 2016, under the chairmanship of President Sepp Blatter. The Frenchman Valcke was the first person to hold this office since 1956 who was not from Switzerland.
©Keystone/SDA
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