Former FIFA Vice President, Jack Warner has lost an appeal against extradition to the U.S. from Trinidad and Tobago by the British Privy Council order to face fraud and bribery charges.
Five British law lords unanimously held there was no merit in his appeal and therefore should be struck out.
Warner is wanted in the United States on a barrage of charges including wire fraud, money laundering and racketeering that allegedly took place over the span of two decades while he was second in-command of world football governing body. He is also alleged to have alleged to have accepted millions of dollars in bribes from South Africa officials in return for voting to award them the 2010 World Cup.
The former FIFA vice president’s fight against extradition is however far from over. This is because the appeal evolved around a preliminary issue that was raised even before the proceedings could get underway at the Magistrate’s Court in Port of Spain.
The effect of the ruling now clears the way for the committal proceedings to begin before Chief Magistrate Maria Busby-Earle-Caddle, more than seven years after the indictment was filed in the U.S. and him being arrested locally.
In 2015 the United States Department of Justice made the request for Warner’s extradition for him to answer wide-ranging allegations of criminal conduct during his tenure as FIFA vice president.
He was one of 14 charged with a scheme to allegedly “enrich themselves through the corruption of international soccer.” That same year Warner was also banned by FIFA from all football activities for life.
Former FIFA executive, Jack Warner.
Associated Press/Shirley Bahadur, file
