ZURICH: At least 50 Swiss bank accounts allegedly linked to world football governing body FIFA have been frozen on orders of the judicial authorities in Switzerland, working with the United States Department of Justice.

US officials believe “corruption money” may have been moved through the now frozen accounts containing between SFr50m and 100m.

Michael Lauber, the Swiss Attorney-General, said in September that bank accounts had been frozen and property seized in connection with suspicions of money-laundering. More than 130 accounts with Swiss banks are the subject of investigation.

Tages Anzeiger reported that many FIFA executive committee members had accounts in Switzerland, including South American confederation head Nicolas Leoz whose extradition from Paraguay is being sought by the US DoJ.

The US DoJ has been running a major investigation into corruption and fraud among senior football figures in the Americas while the Swiss are delving into the 2018-2022 World Cup bid farrago.

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