The Prosecutor General's Office revealed that FIFA sent USD 12 million to the Football Association of Maldives (FAM) over six years. However, the money was exchanged through various individuals without adhering to any procedures.
The Prosecutor General's Office revealed that FIFA sent USD 12 million to the Football Association of Maldives (FAM) over six years. However, the money was exchanged through various individuals without adhering to any procedures.
The PG office has pressed charges against FAM President Bassam Adeel Jaleel with money laundering and fraud for allegedly depositing USD 10,000 of the funds sent by FIFA into his personal account and utilizing it for personal use.
According to the PG office, FIFA provided approximately USD 12.4 million (MVR 191.2 million) in aid between January 2018 and October 2023.
The PG Office stated that FAM had been obtaining local currency by selling foreign currency deposited by FIFA and other foreign associations to various individuals without following any regulations.
The PG Office noted that no records regarding these transactions were maintained. The documents relating to the funds deposited in Bassam's account also referred to as "sale of dollars," yet the money did not enter any of FAM's accounts and was instead used for personal use by Bassam, according to the PG Office.
In its case filed against Bassam, the PG Office seeks the state to take possession of the USD 10,000 deposited in his account.
The indictment stated that USD 1,910 of the funds was deposited into a third party's account, then transferred to the account of Glacier Investment, a company in which Bassam and his wife Aiminath Maureena hold shares, and utilized for various purposes of the company.
In addition, Bassam allegedly used the funds obtained from FAM to pay rent for a Rehendhi flat he had leased and for matters unrelated to FAM.
The sentence for this crime may be a fine of between USD 10,000 and USD 1 million, together with a prison sentence of between 5 to 15 years.
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