At this rate, Netflix will end up buying the rights to devote a series to “FIFAgate”, this myriad of criminal proceedings and politico-financial scandals linked to the International Football Federation. The breathtaking saga had a new twist on Wednesday, May 19, with the announcement by the Swiss extraordinary prosecutor Stefan Keller of his resignation.
On July 30, 2020, the lawyer opened criminal proceedings for “abuse of authority”, “violation of official secrecy”, “obstructing criminal proceedings” and “instigating these offenses” against the President of FIFA, Gianni Infantino, the former Swiss Attorney General Michael Lauber and a magistrate friend of Mr. Infantino, the attorney of Haut-Valais Rinaldo Arnold. This investigation targets the secret meetings held in 2016 and 2017 by MM. Lauber and Infantino.
On May 5, the Swiss Federal Criminal Court (TPF) validated the challenge filed by Mr. Infantino against Mr. Keller. To justify its decision, the TPF questioned Mr. Keller’s impartiality and criticized its communication, including the publication of several press releases.
On Wednesday, May 19, Mr. Keller held a meeting with the Judicial Commission of the Swiss Federal Assembly and the Public Prosecution Supervisory Authority (AS-MPC). At the end of this meeting, Mr. Keller estimated that“It is impossible for him to continue his investigations in view of the current composition of the TPF and has informed the commission that he will return his mandate to the Federal Assembly”.
Mr. Infantino remains to this day continued
While considering that the decision of the TPF to challenge him “ was made with a view to results and not with the necessary independence “, the lawyer “Regret” that his resignation “Results in the setting aside of considerable investigation results and the loss of precious time in concluding proceedings before the expiry of the limitation period”.
For its part, the Judicial Commission of the Federal Assembly agreed with Mr. Keller “The end of his mandate for May 31” and a “Already started to prepare the election of a new extraordinary general prosecutor of the Confederation in agreement with the AS-MPC”. A new magistrate will therefore be appointed to lead the criminal proceedings against Mr. Infantino, since extended to the head of information of the public prosecutor’s office (MPC), André Marty.
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