Rio De Janeiro: Brazilian police arrested a director from the FIFA partner company handling World Cup ticket packages, accusing him of leading a network that illegally sold game passes.
Ray Whelan, a director at Match Hospitality, was detained at the luxurious beachfront Copacabana Palace Hotel on Monday here, days after 11 people were rounded up in a raid to dismantle the network.
Fabio Barucke, the case’s lead investigator, said Whelan faces charges of facilitating the distribution of tickets for their illegal sale and criminal conspiracy. If found guilty he could face four years in prison.
Whelan is a 64-year-old UK citizen. 100 tickets were found in his hotel room. (AP)