Investigation into alleged embezzlement by club officials

Police has said that investigation is under way into allegations that club officials misused subsidies allocated by Football Association of Maldives (FAM) to football clubs.

In a message to the press, police said that while they are investing into former FAM president Bassam Adeel Jaleel, who is accused of embezzling funds received from foreign agencies during his tenure, they are also looking into the case of senior club officials as well.

According to police, some club senior officials are alleged to have deposited funds intended for club use into their personal accounts or companies in which they hold shares.

“The subsidies provided by FAM to the clubs were found to have been transferred into personal bank accounts of club officials and businesses they are linked to. The investigation is ongoing,” police said.

Bassam, who became FAM president in 2016 with a pledge to provide MVR 3 million annually to each first division club, initially channeled funds through state-owned enterprises. After a change in government in 2018, those payments stopped, and FAM began distributing the funds directly to clubs.

Police further allege that Bassam redirected funds to a company in which he holds a stake, as well as to individuals employed at FAM during his leadership.

Bassam currently faces two embezzlement charges in the Criminal Court and is barred from leaving the country under a court order, with his passport seized.

Last year, FIFA imposed a nine-month suspension on Bassam, which expired in March.