Authorities in Zurich, Switzerland on Wednesday launched an operation to arrest several high-ranking FIFA officials on corruption charges and extradite them to the United States, the New York Times reported. The Times, citing anonymous law enforcement officials, said the U.S. federal charges include racketeering, money laundering and wire fraud and span two decades of misconduct in soccer's world governing body. Fourteen officials were expected to be indicted, the newspaper reported. The officials are in Zurich for the FIFA Congress where incumbent president Sepp Blatter faces a challenge from Jordan's Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein in a presidential election on Friday. According to a statement released early Wednesday from the Federal Office of Justice in Switzerland, the US Attorney's Office for the Eastern District in New York is investigating several officials "on suspicion of the acceptance of bribes and kick-backs between the early 1990s and the present day." That investigation involves schemes to pay FIFA officials and "other functionaries of FIFA sub-organizations more than $100 million." The FOJ says that, in return, those various individuals and entities at the center of the investigation received "media, marketing, and sponsorship rights in connection with soccer tournaments in Latin America." The statement continues, saying "these crimes were agreed and prepared in the US, and payments were carried out via US banks." American Chuck Blazer, a former top-ranking FIFA executive, was reportedly an informant for the FBI in the investigation, The New York Daily News reported in November. The Times reports that these FIFA executives were charged: Jeffrey Webb, Eugenio Figueredo, Jack Warner, Eduardo Li, Julio Rocha, Costas Takkas, Rafael Esquivel, José Maria Marin, and Nicolás Leoz. Sports marketing executives Alejandro Burzaco, Aaron Davidson, Hugo Jinkis, and Mariano Jinkis are also exepected to be charged, along with José Margulies, who authorities saw was an intermediary who facilitated illegal payments. Times reporters Sam Borden and Michael Schmidt are in Zurich covering the arrests: Picture of plainclothes Swiss police showing documents to FIFA hotel clerk: pic.twitter.com/LVV8Ai9hxt — Sam Borden (@SamBorden) May 27, 2015 Police are using side entrance to take executives out. I witnessed one detention -- peaceful. No cuffs. Official was allowed to take luggage — Sam Borden (@SamBorden) May 27, 2015 Hotel staff trying to use sheets to hide officials as they exit. pic.twitter.com/o0VFKuFnQi — Sam Borden (@SamBorden) May 27, 2015 Swiss law enforcement getting room numbers for FIFA execs they are heading upstairs to arrest pic.twitter.com/F69djqpcu5 — Michael S. Schmidt (@MichaelSSchmidt) May 27, 2015 All is quiet in lobby of hotel now as Swiss law enforcement agents are upstairs looking for FIFA execs — Michael S. Schmidt (@MichaelSSchmidt) May 27, 2015 Swiss agent just walked out of hotel with two bags of evidence — Michael S. Schmidt (@MichaelSSchmidt) May 27, 2015 concierge is getting bombarded with phone calls here in the lobby. sounds like press calling. his english isn't great. — Michael S. Schmidt (@MichaelSSchmidt) May 27, 2015 sources tell me sepp blatter is not among the fifa officials who are being arrested — Michael S. Schmidt (@MichaelSSchmidt) May 27, 2015 FIFA execs not being led out in handcuffs. Very peaceful. Hotel staff meanwhile is freaking out. — Michael S. Schmidt (@MichaelSSchmidt) May 27, 2015 one fifa exec who i didn't recognize was just led by two agents out of the lobby. he had his luggage with him. again, very peaceful. — Michael S. Schmidt (@MichaelSSchmidt) May 27, 2015 as arrests/raids go this one has been very tame so far. man who was led out of the lobby looked like guest leaving with friends. — Michael S. Schmidt (@MichaelSSchmidt) May 27, 2015 pack of media outside hotel as the day gets going here in Zurich. We think all arrests at hotel have been completed. pic.twitter.com/MONsJITkFE — Michael S. Schmidt (@MichaelSSchmidt) May 27, 2015 Questioning of detainees The Zurich Cantonal Police will question the detainees today on behalf of the FOJ regarding the US request for their arrest. A simplified procedure will apply for wanted persons who agree to their immediate extradition. The FOJ can immediately approve their extradition to the US and order its execution. However, if a wanted person opposes their extradition, the FOJ will invite the US to submit a formal extradition request within the deadline of 40 days specified in the bilateral extradition treaty. Here is the full FOJ statement: BERN – By order of the Federal Office of Justice (FOJ), six soccer officials were arrested in Zurich today (Wednesday) and detained pending extradition. The US authorities suspect them of having received or paid bribes totaling in the USD millions. The six soccer functionaries were arrested today in Zurich by the Zurich Cantonal Police. The FOJ’s arrest warrants were issued further to a request by the US authorities. The US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York is investigating these individuals on suspicion of the acceptance of bribes and kick-backs between the early 1990s and the present day. The bribery suspects – representatives of sports media and sports promotion firms – are alleged to have been involved in schemes to make payments to the soccer functionaries – delegates of FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) and other functionaries of FIFA sub-organizations – totaling more than USD 100 million. In return, it is believed that they received media, marketing, and sponsorship rights in connection with soccer tournaments in Latin America. According to the US request, these crimes were agreed and prepared in the US, and payments were carried out via US banks. SEE ALSO: LeBron, Cavaliers earn NBA Finals spot after sweeping Hawks Join the conversation about this story » NOW WATCH: Watch a pilot squeeze his plane through this skinny canal in Greece
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