Blatter, Platini indicted for fraud

GENEVA, Nov 3: Former FIFA officials Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini were charged with fraud and other offenses by Swiss prosecutors on Tuesday after a six-year investigation into a controversial $2 million payment. The 85-year-old Blatter and 66-year-old Platini now face a trial at federal criminal court in Bellinzona. They could be jailed for several years if found guilty. “This payment damaged FIFA’s assets and unlawfully enriched Platini,” Swiss federal prosecutors said. The case was opened in September 2015 and ousted Blatter as FIFA president. It centers on Platini’s written request to FIFA in January 2011 to be paid backdated additional salary for working as a presidential adviser in Blatter’s first term, from 1998-2002. Blatter wanted the payment within weeks. “The evidence gathered by the (attorney general’s office) has corroborated that this payment to Platini was made without a legal basis,” prosecutors said. (AP)