Large scale indictments and arrests for corruption
Fourteen high-ranking football officials and executives were indicted in the USA in May 2015 in connection with wire fraud, racketeering, and money laundering. A further seven FIFA official were arrested by the Swiss in connection with bribery and corruption charges. The arrests triggered Australia, Colombia, Costa Rica, and Switzerland to open or intensify separate criminal investigations into top FIFA officials for corruption. Four football executives and two corporations had previously been indicted in the USA on similar charges and had pleaded guilty.