Webb pleads guilty, gives up $6.7M in FIFA probe
Jeffrey Webb
(CNS): The former president of the Cayman Islands Football Association (CIFA), Jeffrey Webb, has pleaded guilty to charges against him in the United States Department of Justice FIFA investigation. The local football hero is one of eight defendants who have admitted to various racketeering offences, revealed in the latest update from the US authorities. Webb has also agreed to forfeit more than $6.7M as part of his plea.
A press release from the DoJ said that Webb made his admissions on 23 November, pleading guilty to racketeering conspiracy, three counts of wire fraud conspiracy and three counts of money laundering conspiracy.
Webb and the other defendants who have admitted their part are facing a maximum of twenty years in jail, but given the admissions, it is likely that deals have been struck with the authorities. It is not yet known when Webb will be sentenced.
The news of Webb’s admission came in a long update from the DoJ listing additional arrests and charges laid against another 16 football officials and sports marketing executives and the release of another 92-page indictment — another installment in the sorry tale of FIFA corruption.
“The Department of Justice is committed to ending the rampant corruption we have alleged amidst the leadership of international soccer – not only because of the scale of the schemes, or the brazenness and breadth of the operation required to sustain such corruption, but also because of the affront to international principles that this behavior represents,” said US Attorney General Loretta Lynch Thursday. “The message from this announcement should be clear to every culpable individual who remains in the shadows, hoping to evade our investigation: You will not wait us out. You will not escape our focus.”
FBI Director James B. Comey said that for “decades, the defendants used their power as the leaders of soccer federations throughout the world to create a web of corruption and greed that compromises the integrity of the beautiful game”. He said the charges sent a clear message that the US authorities were determined to put a stop to bribery and corruption in international soccer.
See release from USJ for details of the latest charges and arrests of nearly all of the football bosses across the Americas:
Sixteen Additional FIFA Officials Indicted for Racketeering Conspiracy and Corruption
Category: Courts, Crime, USA, World News
He was staying in a $4000 per night hotel when arrested.
By my calculations, he could have lived there for another four and a half years + on this money.
It is time for Cayman to investigate their own as it may be out of the FBI’s bigger scope. There is one name that is common to both CIFA and CarePay. Speaking of which what is going on with the Fidelity Bank review?
Deportation order?
What I don’t understand is how the americans have the jurisdiction to make these charges. FIFA is based in Switzerland and whatever wrongdoing has occurred was with the different national football organisations. So surely each affected country should be doing what the americans seem to have taken over.
Granted justice must be done, but we should be careful that this exercise does not legalise american interference in other matters that occur outside the U.S.
Except no one else was going to do anything, of course – Cayman sprung into action like a slug on tranquilizers, for example. . And all t US dollar wire transfer create create automatic jurisdiction for for US US the pass through the US banking system creating wire fraud and Bank Secret Act violations under US law. W w should than than US for taking the time effort ans resolution to deal with something that affects every football fan
This is not hard to understand, they have jurisdiction because the criminal activity was substantially located in the US. Cayman might be able to prosecute Webb or others for something, but you can see how fast that is moving.
Cayman prosecute Webb? For CIFA corruption? Is that even a thing?
Kinda like if the RCIP or local prosecution did or is doing anything to investigate the Cayman side to the massive Merren cocaine transaction that was about to go down. That much money and cocaine, you better believe I t ain’t your first rodeo pardner! How was it going to get here? Who was going to turn a blind eye to clear it at customs? How high / low up the food chain did that go within customs? What about the money? Bank transactions, movements?
Oh please, pardon my wishful thinking.
Try reading the indictment. The USA charged those who used the US banking system in the commission of their crimes. That’s probably the only reason why Sepp Blatter hasn’t been charged, yet.
Wow he is so handsome!! 🙂 finally some eye candy on this website.
Judging by his expression I’d say he just ate some turtle.
….. what is worse , the children ,
sport is for them to learn life values .
Webb & Warner have stole from them
So, same article about Jeff Webb on Cayman Compass web site but not one single comment and over 100 here. So either no readers of Cayman Compass care or the comments are being blocked. So David Legge, protector of free speech, which is it!
You have to be verified to comment at the Compass.
Yes, and Bob William is a real person, honest he is.
Comments are not anonymous on the Compass.
You have to remember Legge fled Cayman in fear, after calling all of us corrupt, because he wrote an editorial in which he called Jeff a “much loved” Caymanian. He can’t allow any comments that don’t show that love for Jeff.
Do you plead guilty or not guilty?
“Guilty as Sin Sir”…
. . . provided you don’t delve too deeply into my assets and business dealings and take this $6.7m in low hanging fruit”
wow can you believe this?
corruption, money laundering. wow. in Cayman?
thou shalt not steal and all.
If you can’t trust a Caymanian banker, who can you trust?
Thankfully OZZIE pulled the sports grant money for CIFA way back when he did. I wonder will the FIFA probes extend to other smaller fish within organizations like CIFA ? If so , could be a surprise waiting at the KX jetway in Miami the next time they take the wife shopping to Kendall.
There is no doubt that CIFA is involved in some serious stuff and could have possibly mislead FIFA from what I see from the records that I have. That could give rise to a claim by FIFA on CIFA. That could mushroom and lead to a claim against the Executive Committee, past and present. This tangled Webb has to lead to his resignation and a complete new executive committee at CIFA . The clubs who are leading the charge must clean up football in the Cayman Islands. There are plenty of honest guys who know their sport and can sort out cifa. The sooner the better.
But CIFA had a well-respected local compliance officer at these times.
And a well respected executive committee!
Prediction–there will be no criminal proceedings by Cayman against CIFA or its members for bribery or corruption.
Pull the money way back when? You me after Webb had been extradited? My have saved us a fortune with his insightful and speedy action, yep.
Spot on Fred.
Any self respecting sports fan would have known that Jeff Webb was bent years ago but nobody who has any interest in association football could say after 2010 that they didn’t know that FIFA and everyone involved in FIFA at a high level was corrupt to the bone. Nobody.
And yet Ozzie spent $6 million of our tax payers money just a few months ago to renovate the football stadiums here for Jeff’s tournament. A few months ago !
So Ozzie, you either didn’t know that Jeff was bent, in which case you were asleep at the wheel and/or you are stupid, or you did know, which raises a number of other questions.
You can understand why a previous Minister for Sport bent over backwards for Jeff but Ozzie ?
That said, everyone else was on board with Jeff’S tournaments – Dart, Scotiabank, FIDELITY
Ossie did what? He pulled the money after everything had gone public and the Blatter-voting lunatics had fixed the vote to ensure that they remained in charge of the FIFA asylum. Big deal. Didn’t see Ossie order an inquiry or anything meaningful.
CAP’T BAKERY; CI Govt , Should have a charge on the property. Till Webb has his day in court here for local charges against him.
They should rip that place down. How did that get by planning?
Let’s have a guess shall we?
It is time to disban CIFA alltogether. It is morally bankrupt and will be financially bankrupt after this mess is cleaned up.
Those large “loans” that are now shown on the financial statement as income will all have to be paod back or will be confiscated as proceeds of the crime of money laundering.
Government and the private sector will be asked to fund future youth programs in the absence of FIFA or IOC funding being made avalable however, with the same people still running the organisation, such money will be ineffectively wasted.
Cayman football needs a completely new organisation made up of people who grew up in the football culture, who knows how to nurture it and do far more with.less money. Throwing large sums of money at the game has brought us nowhere………..peolpe MUST be involved for the love of the game……..not for 5 star travel.
The CIFA constitution that encourages intrenchment and guarentees the same old, same old has to go in the garbage. A new organisation with a new constitution that puts ALL positions up for reelection every 4 years is what is needed. If people do not perform they should be kicked out.
One thing that perplexes me is why the CIOC wants to continue to recognise an organisation that still has a now admitted criminal at its head and accounts that cannot be audited. Do the executive of CIOC, which include a sitting member of parliment as their treasurer not want to know what happened to their money that they poured into CIFA? Do they not feel embarasses about doing business with a known criminal enterprose?
Do they not feel an obligation to not do business with an organisation whose President is a known criminal? What kind of message is this sending to other sporting organisations and more importantly to the IOC ethics committee?
Their silence on this matter is deafening………at a minimum a suspensoin of the organisatiin should be in order.
At least the Government Ministry of Sports took a stand on their funding.
I thought he was broke with how wifey had to give up all dem Rolex watches, homes etc just to bail him. Did he not also say security in NY was too expensive for him to maintain hence his move to the other mansion in Atl? Yet, he somehow manages to pull $6.7 mill out his a$$?? No sah Jeffwey you are good!
@ Anonymous 11:29. The $6.7 Mill comes OUT of the $10 Mill that he and wifey pledged when he posted bond ok. So the way to now look at it is like this:
1. $10 MILLION DOLLARS PLEDGED;
2. $6.7 Million dollars “given up”;
3. Balance left?= $3.3 MILLION.
Note:- No more legal fees for him. (Wifey left with the $3.3 Mill)…
Now one has to assume that he will turn into a “star witness” and join Chuck Blazer and together bring down a few of the BIG FISH !…Sepp himself?..
I think the $3.3 mil will evaporate soon enough. Mrs. W going to need more before & when Jeffro goes to Riker’s Island.
Or few of the local boys that was parading around the world with him. I am surprised they haven’t been locked up yet. I wonder if more money is held in some of these friends or their wives names?
Agreed @ M.I! Patiently waiting to see what happens to his lil boys club members down here who went everywhere with Jeff! You know they mixed up too right!
He should give up a few of the local crooks as well that keep popping up on the outskirts.
Still wrong, The $3.3 mill belongs to family and friends who made up the difference . The US JD, made sure is was n8t Webbs funds.
Corrupt to the bone and there are many more like him.
So not only is Jeffrey crooked but he is a snitch too. Double whammy bobo!
Yeh, ‘cos faced with 20 years in jail or snitching you wouldn’t right? Honor amongst thieves…that’s what is wrong with this place.
More than 24 hours after the news of the president of cifa pleading guilty of embezzlement and misappropriation of funds, even those
sent for disaster relief, the acting president of cifa or any other member have made a public comment? And the local media is not at cifa headquarters demanding one? This a matter of public interest, cifa cannot simply go into hiding.
Blatter-voting ass-covering junkie-monkeys.
No more captain bakery bread for me.
I hear they having a sale on sourdough.
not surprised- if you know him you would understand my comment. good riddance
First Class act,,,,,,, NOT.
At least he will be used to jail food, so it won’t be such a harsh shock when he gets the welcome waiting for him at Owen Roberts in a few years.
Sick of seeing his greedy face, trying to act so astute.. Just a stinking scum disgracing Cayman and its people. I must say he was very gatious to agree to give back $6.7M of the stolen money. They have no clue about the hidden millions that he will live well from after prison.
Sadly he is likely to serve 5 to 7 years tops at a white collar “low risk” detention facility. He should be sent to San Quenten State Prison and throw away the key. We can expect to see him back here after serving his soft time, smiling and acting important in our society.
We also shouldn’t expect that he will serve any time for his HSA involvement..though hopefully he will at least be tried for that as well.
and the really sad things is that after he is back here, you will still see plenty fools who are going to run to rub elbows with him………..that’s the biggest problem in Cayman, where everything gets easily forgiven and forgotten.
Back here? He will never be back unless he is deported by the USA (not sure where he was born). He he IS deported, he will never be able to enter the USA again, EVER!
Know your facts, he is a US citizen!
Wow he is so awesome!! Cayman news so boring! Thank you!!
This story like a Harry potter books exciting 🙂 God bless sir salute :)!!!
Let’s hope he was on the up and up with his US tax filings over the years… Uncle Same will want another rip at him if not… How do you declare bribes? Income or capital gains or dividends??. Hmmm…
Alden, how are robust enforcers going with the prosecution of the crimes that happened in Cayman? Are you starting to accept how corrupt we are?
Ass. Jeff Webb does not represent me or the majority of Caymanians. He represents himself and those who flock with him.
Fool. Those who flock with him.
If you have time read the new indictment, if you do not have time read the reports in the Independent and Mail newspapers. You will quickly learn why the goal project still unfinished after all these years and why CIFA never has any funding to assist our local young players. No funding for proper footwear or a small travel stipend for national team players. Not even the Haiti relief fund was safe. Many of the people at cifa currently were there with JW, they did not know anything about this? Really…
“The local football hero”. Sigh.
Welcome home Jeff…way way way in advance.
I betcha any money he will come back to Cayman and head up the local football program and sit on many boards. Watch and see. Guess the local compadres are s…ting bricks right about now!
Why would the local compadres care? You ever seen anyone suffering any consequences to their corruption? Me not seen nothing! Let’s see what comes of the Watson case and whether this may finally be a step in the right direction.
By time he returns , hopefully we will have a lot of young honest and talented Caymanians running all aspects of these fine Islands. He will be known as a has been stealing thug. I even think the rest of his family will retire the Webb name here on the Islands.
He is guilty?
I never saw that one coming…
Crikey this is still going on? I forgot all about this. Let’s move on folks it’s christmas in a few week!
I still believe he is innocent. Let’s see how this plays out.
I am happy to know that we still have at least one true Caymanian among us who believes in the traditional way of life. Unlike others who have gone silent, you know how your bread get buttered on both sides.
Let’s be careful who we worship and hold up of such high esteem. A good lesson for our young children in this story. Don’t miss this learning opportunity with our kids!
Apparently all the praying for his innocence was in vain.
Does he have to give back the funds from the Qatar and Russia vote buying?
You make no sense. What blogs are you reading??? Lmaooo
Oh my god! Better tell whodat. He’ll give America a good talking to.
He cannot be reached right now as he is adding another two tiers onto the giant deflection wall.
This was all Tony Blair’s fault.
Its not Webb’s fault. He is the inevitable product of the colonial attitudes to Cayman advanced by Mother, where the only way a poor Caymanian boy can advance is by accepting bribes from foreigners. Oh, and Tony Blair is a war criminal, so there.
Don’t forget America’s role! They are close, and big, and tell Cayman’s banks what to do sometimes, therefore they must also be held accountable for Webb’s misdeeds. He was living in Atlanta, which played a crucial role in the Civil War in the 1800s. That HAS to have something to do with it.
any comment from the premier?????
or is it just the typical caymanian head in the sand mentality???
What exactly are you expecting the Premier or anyone else in Government to say …..
Something…. anything….a little spin maybe.
Simple, ‘we have no local corruption’.
No one has ever said that and there is no country in the world where anyone can say that.
That the whole football association on Cayman soil is getting torn apart and built back from scratch. As a country, we cannot afford any more negative press associated with money laundering etc.
#caymankind
It’s no just Caymankind, but it’s UKkind, Trinidadkind, CostaRicakind, Brazilkind, Honduraskind, Nicaraguakind,Paraguaykind, Swisskind, USkind and all over the Worldkind. Mr. & Mrs Driftwood are part of this massive FIFA corruption and are singing hourly………. the sweetest melodies the IRS and FBI have heard in a very long time.
Which Brits have been arrested in this probe?
Jeff and Costas…..
Costa is not a Brit.
No Brits or Canadians feature in this investigation.
Why not simply FIFAkind? The reality is everyone in Europe had known how corrupt FIFA was for years and tried to ignore it. Webb himself was warned by at least one person close to him to watch himself but clearly took no notice. It was only when FIFA trod on toes in the USA that any effective action was taken. I now wonder how long it will be before the Feds start turning their attentions to other iffy international sporting bodies like the IOC?
^racist comment.
Sorry, but pointing out that a culture of corruption exists in a country is not racist. You can use the “r” word all day long, but the fact is that the poster seems to be indicating that it is common in Cayman culture, not that Caymanians are genetically determined, based on race, to be corrupt. See in the first instance you have a choice…you can choose to address and deal with the culture of corruption (ie stop having your esteemed citizens write in to other media about the importance of politicians buying her vote with a Christmas turkey or a fruit basket). In the second instance, nothing much could be done.
I think the poster’s point is you should pull your head out of the sand and see that there’s a problem here.
he folds quicker than superman on laundry day….
Oh what a tangled Webb we weave….
What a Bastard!
Stealing from kids of Cayman n around the world. I hope he gets Hard time.
“Time” is a slang term is it? I had not heard it called that before.
Wait for his supporters praising him for doing the right thing. Wait for it…
Jeff is innocent until proven guilty. Just saying you are guilty is not proof in itself. Plus, he is an American citizen with family roots in Jamaica so all this talk of Cayman is unfounded at best, perhaps even slanderous.
He is a born caymanian. Get your facts right!
“Admitting guilt is not proof in itself” – you are obviously suffering from Caymanian delusion disease.Collecting passports is a Caribbean custom and very useful in this sort of business. No doubt in addition to his U.S.passport he has one from Jamaica, Cayman and the UK. He should be deported back to his country of origin.
Your information is in correct. What blogs have you been reading son?
Hilarious!!! So he’s Jamaican now? I don’t recall the J word being thrown around when he was named prestigious FIFA Vice President.
I recall the pride of him being a Caymanian! What was it? “Son of the soil!!!” Such a high international position.
Now he’s Jamaican. Puleeze.
Treasonous, even
Are you serious?! Your comments are so wrong on so many levels they aren’t even worth picking apart.
You’re right! Admission of guilt doesn’t need to mean he really is guilty. It must be proved further. He maybe earned all that money at his job for example………
He might have “earned” it in Vegas. Several Caymanians have come into huge sums of money by going to Las Vegas.
all of a sudden he is jamaican, wow!
You’re joking right?
He just confessed you muppet.
Nah today bobo! He ain´t one of us. Unuh need take da heat fa dis one Cayman. Slap weh!
Signed,
Jamaican abroad
He is like so many, especially the new generation, who can trace Jamaican roots from parents or grandparents, so not enough generations to get rid of the ‘attitudes’ but still some cool dudes, even the white people in Cayman on their side over locals
One more disciple leave deh yaad….
Perhaps you need to read the plea agreement. One makes a plea when the cards are heavily stacked against you that you are certainly going to jail and may have something the prosecutor may want in exchange for CONSIDERATION of a lesser recommended sentence. They would lay out the facts AKA proof of the guilty pleas in that document. I suggest you go back to school because your comments lack a basic understanding of things and common sense.
Would make a great episode on “American Greed”
You mean Caymanian Greed driftwood. Quit trying to steal our fame.
your son of the soil has admitted to being just dirt
that means the money he gave out was dirty his friends were given dirty money
those that did deals with him are dirty
Ahhh, but that is by your standards. Tings different down here.
Only 10% of the FIFA Money he’s giving back?
SO how much of Cayman Football Money he’s giving back? Any info on that Mr. Bruce Blatter Blake?
Really, really how much money Cayman football had for anybody to steal?
You sound so fool talking about percentage like you know anything! Yaw
What is CIFA’s stand on this news? The regular ” no comments” at this time? Time for the local cronies to be rooted out of the mismanagement of the local game.
They did not allowed change a few months ago, can anyone see why? Time to clean up CIFA also. Member clubs be brave, do not be afraid Jeff Webb is not coming back.
CIFAs stand is probably, ‘please don’t tell on us. Please. You keep quiet and we’ll keep quiet.’
Very interesting and seems to support my viewpoint of a couple of months ago. It is time for CIFA and Blake to clean up their act. I can assure you it will get much worse as the story unfolds. More names will follow ,believe you me.
Why would he plead guilty if he didn’t do it?
Didn’t read the article ( rarely do) but who said he wasn’t guilty?
Exactly, where are all the ” time is longer than rope” and “his heart is pure” mouth runners now?
You sound like a lonely person. Go to church darling and enjoy the gospel. Ohhhhhhh and fry fish .