Bassam ordered to handover both apartments bought with FAM funds to Police

Former President of Football Association of Maldives (FAM), Bassam Adeel Jaleel, who stands accused of money laundering has been notified to hand over the two apartments purchased by misappropriating the association's funds.

According to reports, the two penthouses, which were purchased from Amin Avenue in Hulhumalé, are to be handed over to Police by next Sunday. If Bassam fails to do so, the properties will be seized by the agency, the notice issued to him stated.

"Police are taking necessary steps to bring the two apartments under police custody," a Police media official said last night.

The seizure warrant for the two apartments was issued on September 28.

Police said Bassam bought the penthouses for USD one million, using the USD 1.9 million loan issued to FAM by FIFA as assistance to local football clubs to overcome the financial hardships of Covid-19. The two apartments are also reported to be merged into one; something against the building's regulations.

In the case, Police have also requested the Prosecutor General's Office to press charges against Bassam, along with Amin Construction, FAM's former Financial Head Mohamed Ageel, and FAM's former official Hassan Waheed.

According to Police, Bassam and Amin Construction colluded in the transaction. While fraudulent documents were created to make the transaction seem like a dollar exchange transaction, Amin Construction has not paid any Maldivian Rufiyaa back to FAM, said Police.

FAM had also taken a loan from the third party company to make it appear as though they had received the Maldivian Rufiyaa equivalent of the documents prepared by Amin Avenue, it was further revealed.

Alongside this case, Bassam and Ageel are also being charged in a separate case where Bassam is accused of transferring USD 10,000 into his personal bank account from FAM's bank account.

Police said they have been investigating several cases of money laundering since October last year, involving the misappropriation of foreign aid, which was transferred to the accounts of the Association's officials, individuals and companies affiliated with the Association.