Ex-FIFA secretary general Linsi new suspect in 2006 World Cup affair

Former FIFA secretary general Urs Linsi is being probed by Swiss authorities in connection with payments made surrounding the 2006 World Cup in Germany, with searches in Switzerland carried out last week, the Attorney General’s office confirmed on Wednesday.

A statement sent to DPA via e-mail said that searches were carried out at various locations on November 23, with Linsi the target.

The investigations focus on a payment from the German organizers to football world governing body FIFA of 6.7 million euros ($7.45 million) in 2005 for a World Cup gala event which never took place.

Linsi was FIFA secretary general at the time, holding the position 2002-2007.

Swiss authorities opened criminal proceedings in November 2015 on allegations of fraud, criminal mismanagement, money laundering and misappropriation against 2006 organizing committee head Franz Beckenbauer, and former senior German football federation officials Wolfgang Niersbach, Theo Zwanziger and Horst R Schmidt.

German authorities meanwhile are investigating on suspicion of tax evasion.

Source: GNA