Several FIFA officials have been arrested on corruption charges in a police operation in Switzerland, according to reports.
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The New York Times reports that over a dozen plain-clothed officers entered the Baur au Lac hotel on Wednesday morning and made multiple arrests on several high-ranking FIFA officials.
Those arrested are expected to be extradited to the United States where they could face federal corruption charges.
It is reported that FIFA president Sepp Blatter is not amongst those arrested in the early morning raids, and not all of the officials that could be indicted as part of the investigation are in Zurich at present.
According to The New York Times, the charges relate to alleged widespread corruption including racketeering, money laundering and wire fraud.
More than 10 officials are expected to be indicted, the newspaper reports.
The officials were in Zurich for the FIFA Congress, where Sepp Blatter faces a challenge from Jordan’s Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein in a presidential election on Friday.
Picture of plainclothes Swiss police showing documents to FIFA hotel clerk: pic.twitter.com/LVV8Ai9hxt
— Sam Borden (@SamBorden) May 27, 2015
All quiet now at the Baur au Lac in Zurich. Dawn raids have seen a number of Fifa officials arrested. pic.twitter.com/TlXkvIluGu
— Richard Conway (@richard_conway) May 27, 2015
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