The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) has brought an indictment against PSG President Nasser Al-Khelaifi this morning for inciting disgraced former FIFA Secretary General Jerôme Valcke to commit aggravated criminal mismanagement.
Valcke has in the meantime been charged with accepting bribes and falsifying documents.
This Swiss prosecutor today confirms that their investigations revealed that Valcke had received undue advantages from both Al Khelaifi and an unnamed third individual, relating to a property purchased in Sardinia, which the Qataris owned and leased to the former executive.
“The charge of criminal mismanagement relates to the fact that Valcke had not reported the mentioned advantages that he received to FIFA, as he was required to do as its Secretary General, thus unlawfully enriching himself. In this context, Al-Khelaifi and the third accused are charged with corresponding incitement.”
“On the other hand, the suspicion that Valcke accepted a luxury watch that Al-Khelaifi offered him in return for exerting his influence as Secretary General of FIFA was not found to be substantiated. As a result, an abandonment of proceedings order in relation to this matter was issued in February 2020.”
However, the prosecutor stunningly also announces in Thursday morning’s communiqué that they are abandoning the vast majority of their proceedings against Al-Khelaifi after FIFA withdrew its criminal complaint against the Qatari following an out of court arrangement was reached between the two parties in January 2020.
“The withdrawal relates to the allegations of bribery involving Al-Khelaifi and Valcke in connection with the award of media rights for the World Cup tournaments in 2026 and 2030 as well as for other FIFA events for the region Middle East and North Africa in the same period in return for granting the aforementioned advantages in connection with the villa in Sardinia. As the bribery of private individuals in this specific case was an offence prosecuted only on complaint, the withdrawal of the complaint meant that a procedural requirement for the prosecution of these offences was no longer met. Contrary to the notice already given to the parties, the OAG therefore will have to abandon the proceedings in relation to this allegation. For this purpose, the OAG ordered that part be dealt with as separate proceedings as from February 2020.”
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However, the OAG will continue to investigate Valcke and Al-Khelaifi on this more minor, technical charge.
For a full understanding of the case the OAG was prosecuting against Al-Khelaifi, read this.