The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland has discontinued further criminal proceedings against Jérôme Valcke. This is the fourth time that the former Secretary General of world football's governing body FIFA has escaped without punishment.
The proceedings opened in November 2015 were the first against Valcke. The high-ranking FIFA official was charged with embezzlement in connection with ticket sales for the 2014, 2018 and 2022 World Cups. He was also suspected of damaging computer data and unjustified invoicing of fees.
Valcke's defense lawyers are of the opinion that "this complete dismissal of the case was a matter of course". Valcke has been found innocent for the fourth time after an excessively long trial, which was partially annulled following the refusal of three federal prosecutors, they told the Keystone-SDA news agency when asked.
The now 64-year-old was FIFA secretary general from 2007 to 2016 under the chairmanship of President Sepp Blatter. Frenchman Valcke was the first person to hold this office since 1956 who was not from Switzerland.
SDA
