2 months ago
Authorities successful Congo-Brazzaville person applied to Interpol for an world apprehension warrant against Jean-Guy Blaise Mayolas, nan president of nan country’s shot federation, Fecofoot, aft he was convicted of embezzling $1.1m successful Fifa funds.
Mayolas is connected nan tally pinch his woman and boy aft they were each sentenced to life imprisonment this period for embezzling costs provided by world football’s governing assemblage arsenic portion of its Covid-19 alleviation scheme successful February 2021. As the Guardian revealed past year, that included almost $500,000 earmarked for nan Congo women’s team.
Mayolas and his family were tried successful absentia and are believed to person fled nan state weeks earlier nan hearing. Investigators fishy he whitethorn beryllium hiding successful Cameroon aliases nan Democratic Republic of nan Congo. The authorities and partner constabulary forces successful nan region person been alerted and officials are moving pinch financial intelligence units, including Tracfin, nan French financial intelligence unit, to frost assets linked to nan case.
Mayolas and his family members were convicted of money laundering, forgery, usage of forged documents and embezzlement connected 10 March by nan tribunal successful Brazzaville, on pinch Fecofoot’s wide secretary, Badji Mombo Wantete, and treasurer, Raoul Kanda. Wantete and Kanda were each sentenced to 5 years successful prison.
Fifa opened disciplinary proceedings against Mayolas, Wantete and Kanda past week for alleged financial misconduct. The charges nether information see conflict of interest, forgery and improper acceptance of gifts aft Fifa’s morals committee received accusation and documents during a review.
It has been alleged Mayolas, since being elected arsenic president of Fecofoot successful 2018, utilized a bid of ammunition companies to embezzle backing from Fifa. According to a declaration signed by nan presidents of each women’s nine successful nan country’s apical formation that was sent to nan Congolese authorities successful March, $20,000 of nan $500,000 Fifa sent to Fecofoot successful 2021 arsenic portion of its Covid-19 alleviation scheme was paid out.
Mayolas denied each nan allegations earlier his disappearance, describing them arsenic a conspiracy. Wantete besides rejected nan accusations. In 2015, they received six-month bans from Fifa for morals violations related to gifts and benefits.
Mayolas was suspended by nan country’s sports ministry past twelvemonth aft being investigated for fraud. Fifa stepped successful and banned Congo from world shot for “third-party interference”, meaning that successful March they had to forfeit World Cup qualifiers against Tanzania and Zambia, who were awarded 3-0 victories.
Congo were reinstated erstwhile Fecofoot was permitted to resume power of its office successful Brazzaville, though Mayolas and Wantete were prevented from travelling to Fifa’s legislature successful Paraguay and arrested a fewer days later.
