The file
Sepp Blatter
Photo: ะŸั€ะตัั-ัะปัƒะถะฑะฐ ะŸั€ะตะทะธะดะตะฝั‚ะฐ ะ ะพััะธะธ, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
person

Sepp Blatter

Swiss football administrator and former FIFA president

Entries
10
On the record
9
Stories
1
Latest entry
Mar 25, 2025

The record

Compiled by the MrScandal desk from the documents below ยท Desk editor Gustavs ฤ’rkลกฤทis-Kreicbergs ยท Nov 9, 2026

Sepp Blatter's own criminal record in Switzerland ends in two acquittals. The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland opened a criminal case against the sitting FIFA president on September 25, 2015, on suspicion of criminal mismanagement and, alternatively, misappropriation. Six years later, on November 2, 2021, it indicted Blatter, by then FIFA's former president, together with former UEFA president Michel Platini over a CHF 2 million payment from FIFA to Platini.

Prosecutors argued the 2011 payment had no legitimate basis and amounted to fraud in Platini's favour. Both men said it was a fee agreed orally for consulting work Platini did for FIFA from 1998 to 2002, which Blatter called a gentlemen's agreement, and the defence said it was a legitimate, taxed back-payment. In summer 2022 the Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona acquitted both.

The Federal Prosecutor's Office and FIFA, now under Gianni Infantino, appealed. On March 25, 2025, an extraordinary appeal court sitting in Muttenz confirmed the acquittals, finding fraud had not been proven; prosecutors had sought suspended sentences of one year and eight months each. SRF reported that it remained to be seen whether the Federal Prosecutor's Office would take the ruling to the Federal Supreme Court.

Roles and honours on the record

  • 2015 President of FIFA when the Swiss Attorney General opened criminal proceedings against him source
  • as of 2021 Former president of FIFA, indicted with former UEFA president Michel Platini and later acquitted source

Every entry, newest first

Last entry Mar 24, 2021
  1. Ruled

    FIFA Ethics Committee imposed a second ban of six years and eight months and a CHF 1,000,000 fine over bonus payments. FIFA corruption case: 14 charged over $150M in alleged bribes

  2. Ruled

    FIFA appeals committee upheld the ban and cut it to six years; he denies wrongdoing. FIFA corruption case: 14 charged over $150M in alleged bribes

  3. Ruled

    FIFA Ethics Committee banned him for eight years over a 2 million Swiss franc payment; he said he was appealing. FIFA corruption case: 14 charged over $150M in alleged bribes

  4. Filed

    Swiss Attorney General opened proceedings on suspicion of criminal mismanagement or misappropriation; presumption of innocence applies. FIFA corruption case: 14 charged over $150M in alleged bribes

  5. Reported

    FIFA said Blatter would lay down his mandate at an extraordinary elective Congress. FIFA corruption case: 14 charged over $150M in alleged bribes

Stories in this file

Sepp Blatter: $150M alleged bribesSports ยท 5d ago

โš–๏ธ FIFA corruption case: 14 charged over $150M in alleged bribes

Prosecutors allege over $150M in bribes; 12 people and two firms were convicted by Dec 2015. Blatter was not among the 14 first charged. ๐Ÿ“Œ

The record, entry by entry

  1. 2015-09-25 Filed The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland said it had opened criminal proceedings against the president of FIFA on suspicion of criminal mismanagement and, alternatively, misappropriation. Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland, statement
  2. 2021-11-02 Filed The Swiss Attorney General's Office indicted Blatter and Michel Platini, alleging an unlawful CHF 2 million payment from FIFA to Platini. Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland, press release
  3. 2022 Ruled The Federal Criminal Court in Bellinzona acquitted Blatter and Platini in summer 2022. SRF report
  4. 2025-03 Filed The appeal brought by the Federal Prosecutor's Office and FIFA opened in Muttenz. Prosecutors said the 2011 payment had no legitimate basis; the defence said it was a legitimate, late payment for consulting work. SRF report
  5. 2025-03-25 Ruled The appeal court in Muttenz confirmed the acquittals of Blatter and Platini, finding fraud had not been proven. Prosecutors had sought suspended sentences of one year and eight months each; both men described the payment as an orally agreed fee. SRF report

Documents

Sources behind this file

  1. FIFA statement on the 2021 Ethics Committee sanctions ยท Statement, Mar 24, 2021
  2. The New York Times report on the Napout and Marin verdicts ยท Report, Dec 22, 2017
  3. US Department of Justice release on Eduardo Li's plea ยท Statement, Oct 7, 2017
  4. US Department of Justice release on Costas Takkas's plea ยท Statement, May 24, 2017
  5. US Department of Justice release on Julio Rocha's plea ยท Statement, Dec 7, 2016
  6. US Department of Justice release on Rafael Esquivel's plea ยท Statement, Nov 10, 2016
  7. US Department of Justice release on Alfredo Hawit's plea ยท Statement, Apr 11, 2016
  8. BBC Sport report on the reduced bans ยท Report, Feb 24, 2016
  9. Reuters report on the Blatter and Platini bans ยท Report, Dec 21, 2015
  10. US Department of Justice press release on the superseding indictment ยท Statement, Dec 3, 2015
  11. Swiss Attorney General's office notice on proceedings against Blatter ยท Public record, Sep 25, 2015
  12. FIFA announcement on Blatter's mandate ยท Statement, Jun 2, 2015

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