Jeffrey Webb loses appeal against FIFA fine
Former CONCACAF chief Jeffrey Webb lost a partial appeal against his punishment for involvement in the FIFA corruption scandal on Monday.
Webb, who was CONCACAF president for three years from May 2012, was banned for life and fined one million Swiss francs (US$1.056 million, 856,000 euros) by the FIFA adjudicatory chamber in September 2016 for offenses including "conflict of interest" and "corruption".
Related: Jeff Webb's sentencing again delayed
Ex-FIFA vice president Webb, 53, appealed against the fine but world football's governing body announced on Monday that his appeal had been rejected.
He was arrested in Zurich in 2015 and extradited to the United States, where he pleaded guilty in an American court to charges including fraud, money-laundering and racketeering and agreed to forfeit US$6.7 million (5.4 million euros).
Webb, who was president of the Cayman Islands FA at the age of just 26 and became the youngest ever football confederation boss when he took over at CONCACAF, is still to be sentenced in the US.
Update: March 14, 2018 -- FIFA rejects Webb’s appeal
Embattled former CONCACAF president Jeffrey Webb has had an appeal launched against the imposition of a fine in excess of US$1 million rejected by FIFA.
A little over two years ago world football’s governing body FIFA banned Webb for life from all football related activities and implemented the steep fine as part of sanctions for his role in the bribery scandal that rocked the organization.
Webb, who pleaded guilty to seven counts of corruption in a US federal court and is awaiting sentencing in the United States, did not appeal the lifetime ban but sought to have the fine dismissed.
A release from FIFA, however, said an appeals committee determined that the fine imposed was “adequate” and that “consequently, Mr. Webb’s fine and lifelong ban are maintained.” As a part of the plea deal Webb agreed to forfeit US$6.7 million to the United States federal authorities. FIFA has also claimed some US$2 million from the US authorities in restitution for Webb’s part in the corruption.
Webb, who has had his sentencing delayed on seven occasions after subsequent appeals by his lawyers, has been given a September date at a Brooklyn court.
