Banned FIFA official to appear in court in US

A former senior Fifa official has pleaded not guilty to racketeering and bribery charges in a corruption case that has sent shockwaves through the football world.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Norris confirmed reports Webb had been extradicted from Switzerland but added that no court date has been set.

Bond was placed at $10 million, and Webb and his wife were forced to scramble to gather the funds.

There was no immediate response to messages left Friday with Webb’s lawyer. He was also close to Jack Warner, an ex-president of Concacaf, soccer’s governing body for North America, Central America and the Caribbean.

He is the first former official from soccer’s governing body to appear in a New York court in connection with the sweeping global scandal that has rocked the sporting world.

On July 3, Cayman Islands officials announced separate charges against Webb in an unrelated healthcare fraud case.

Swiss authorities arrested the officials on May 27, two days before FIFA’s annual conference. He was released on a $10 million bond co-signed by family members.

Webb’s lawyer and prosecutors have declined comment.

The 50-year-old Cayman Islands national is accused of racketeering conspiracy, wire fraud, and money laundering.

He was ordered to remain in the New York metropolitan area until his trial.

The courtroom exchange came at a hearing for another defendant, Aaron Davidson, president of the marketing company Traffic Sports USA.

The men were held at the request of the US Department of Justice, which has indicted a total of 14 current and former Federation Internationale de Football Association officials and associates on charges of “rampant, systemic, and deep-rooted” corruption following a major inquiry by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

Play video “Islanders Stand By Jeffrey Webb“.

The indictment describes Webb’s cozy relationship with executives from Traffic U.S. and alleges that he solicited and accepted bribes from Traffic executives “almost immediately after taking office” in 2012.