Fifa corruption: British police assist FBI with investigation into football's governing body

Indictment claims that bribes were agreed during meetings in London and that bank accounts at HSBC and Barclays were used when money was transferred

Fifa President Sepp Blatter (SkyNews/Fifa TV)

UK police are assisting the FBI in its investigation into corruption at global football body Fifa.

The indictment in the US claims that bribes were agreed during meetings held in London and also that bank accounts at HSBC and Barclays were used when money was transferred. There is no suggestion that the two banks, which are both based in London, did anything wrong.

The American prosecutors allege that a specially created company agreed to pay $100m (£65m) in bribes to South American football officials to secure commercial rights to the 2013 Copa America tournament during a meeting in London.

Culture Secretary John Whittingdale, told the House of Commons that the Serious Fraud Office was assessing evidence to see whether it should begin a formal inquiry.

And City of London Police told The Daily Telegraph that it had “assisted the FBI in the early stages of their investigation”.

In other links to the UK, Costas Takkas, one of the Fifa officials arrested in Zurich this week, is a British citizen.