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Fifa scandal: Argentine businessman Alejandro Burzaco hands himself in at police station in northern Italy

Burzaco is one of 14 people indicted by US investigators

Kashmira Gander
Tuesday 09 June 2015 21:12 BST
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Alejandro Burzaco, the Argentinian businessman, wanted by US investigators in connection with the ongoing FIFA corruption scandal
Alejandro Burzaco, the Argentinian businessman, wanted by US investigators in connection with the ongoing FIFA corruption scandal

Alejandro Burzaco, who was one of 14 people indicted by US investigators in connection with the Fifa corruption scandal, has turned himself at a police station in northern Italy.

The 50-year-old was named on Interpol's most wanted list along with five other men with ties to Fifa, including two fellow Argentinians.

Police official Giuseppe Tricarico said the president of the Torneos y Competencias sports marketing company was “searched for across the world” after he was named in the indictment.

An Italian and Spanish-speaking lawyer accompanied the businessman as he handed himself over on Tuesday morning, said Tricarico.

Bolzano prison, northern Italy, where Alejandro Burzaco is being deteained (Photo: Othmar Seehouser/AP)

Burzaco is currently being held in jail as as officials decide whether to confirm the arrest at a hearing, as is procedure in Italy, Tricarico added.

The businessman found himself in the spotlight after he was indicted by US authorities on 27 May on bribery, vote-rigging and other corruption charges.

Seven of the indicted men were arrested during dawn raids on a luxury Zurich hotel – plunging the footballing governing body into an unprecedented scandal.

Burzaco and Hugo and Mariano Jinkis, both from Argentina, are still being sought are they were accused of bribing soccer officials in exchange for the media and commercial rights to international tournaments.

In light of the scandal, Sepp Blatter has resigned as president and in turn kickstarted the search for his successor, days after members voted him in for a fifth term.

Senior Fifa members are also being investigation by Swiss authorities who seized documents at the organisation’s headquarters over the bidding contests for the 2018 and 2022 World Cup tournaments.

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