
In 2011, the Swiss attorney general accused Blatter of illegally arranging the $2 million payment to Michel Platini, who at that time was the head of UEFA, the governing body of European soccer. According to the indictment, FIFA has engaged in corrupt practices dating back at least two decades, resulting in criminal charges following an investigation that has lasted a number of years.
85-year-old Blatter has been charged with fraud, mismanagement, and misappropriation of FIFA’s funds for his own personal use. Both the prosecutors’ Blatter and Plantini deny using any money for personal uses and cited a verbal agreement that they had made FIFA president Blatter was ousted early in September 2015 from his office and former UEFA president Platini’s bid for succession to Blatter was ended prior to his appointed term. Originally filed in January 2011, Platini requested additional compensation for his work as a presidential adviser during Blatter’s first term, from 1998-2002, FIFA denied the request.
Platini’s payment was deemed illegal by prosecutors, who said they conducted an investigation.“This payment damaged FIFA’s assets and unlawfully enriched Platini,” the official statement said. Blatter’s 85-year-old body struggles with ill health as he faces a Swiss indictment. Since being stopped from serving as president, Blatter has been in and out of the hospital several times.
It was not stated in the statement by the Swiss attorney general when the case would be tried. Blatter claimed that the payment had been delayed because of FIFA’s financial constraints at the time he made the contract, raising his optimism that his name could be cleared.