Swiss authorities said that they have "seized evidence from the French Football Federation in criminal proceedings" against former FIFA President Sepp Blatter, according to Max Seddon of the FINANCIAL TIMES. The Swiss attorney-general said in a statement that French financial prosecutors "searched the federation’s office" in relation to a 2M Swiss francs payment Blatter allegedly made to former UEFA President Michel Platini. While Blatter and Platini say that the payment, made in February '11, was back pay for work Platini carried out for FIFA between '98 and '02, "there was no contract and no record of the payment" in FIFA's accounts (FT, 3/9). REUTERS' Joshua Franklin reported Swiss prosecutors, who requested the Paris search, said in September that they had "opened a criminal investigation into Blatter on suspicion of criminal mismanagement and misappropriation of funds, allegations he dismissed." In a statement, the Swiss prosecutor said, "Documents were seized in connection with the suspected payment of 2 million Swiss francs that is inter alia the subject of the proceedings." The French financial prosecutor's office confirmed that the search took place, saying that "documents useful to the Swiss investigation were taken" (REUTERS, 3/9). The AP's Graham Dunbar reported though no criminal case is yet open against Platini, Switzerland's Attorney General Michael Lauber has previously said that he is "between a witness and an accused person." Lauber's office said, "Michel Platini's status in the proceedings has remained unchanged" (AP, 3/9).
BLATTER, PLATINI REACTION: The AFP reported in an interview Blatter said that he was "very surprised" after the raid on the FFF HQ in connection with the investigation involving Blatter and Michel Platini. Blatter: “I am very surprised for the simple reason that the 2 million Swiss francs that FIFA paid Michel Platini as part of the oral contract that existed between Michel Platini and I, was not paid to the FFF nor UEFA but to a private Swiss bank account of Michel Platini.” Platini’s lawyers “welcomed” the investigation, saying, “We welcome this new step because the sooner the Swiss authorities complete their investigation, the sooner Michel Platini will be out of this section of the news headlines in which he does not belong” (AFP, 3/9).
