PSG chief Nasser Al-Khelaifi and Fifa boss Jerome Valcke charged in Fifa bribery case

AFP via Getty Images
AFP via Getty Images

Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and former FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke were this morning charged with related offences by the Swiss Attorney General over the awarding of media rights at ­various international tournaments.

Al-Kelaifi, who is on Uefa executive’s committee and is chairman of the BeIN media group, is alleged to have given “undue advantages” to ­Valcke, who has been accused of “aggravated criminal mismanagement” and accepting bribes.

A statement from the Swiss Attorney General’s office read: “The OAG has charged Valcke with accepting bribes, aggravated criminal mismanagement and falsification of documents. The facts in this indictment are no longer characterised as fraud. Al-Khelaifi and the third accused are charged with indicting Valcke to commit aggravated criminal mismanagement. The third accused is also charged with bribery.”

The details relate in part to the ­acquisition of a villa in Sardinia. The OAG statement read: “Valcke was refunded the down payment of around 500,000 euros he made to a third party on the purchase of a villa in Sardinia, after Al-Khelaifi had purchased the villa through a company instead of Valcke.

“Valcke then received from Al-Khelaifi the exclusive right to use the villa until he was suspended by FIFA — without having to pay estimated rent in between 900,000 and 1.8m euro.”