Maldives Police Service said they have received possible incriminating evidence or information of potential financial mismanagement by senior members of the Football Association of Maldives (FAM).
The law enforcement authority said of discovering sufficient information suggesting FAM seniors members transferring money received to the association by FIFA and other international federations, to their personal accounts and to the accounts of their close associates.
Maldives Police Service raided the FAM headquarters on Sunday, October 22.
While an official word on the matter has not been collected, it was reported that local police notified the Prosecutor General’s Office of financial mismanagement, corruption and criminal activities by senior officials of FAM.
Local law enforcement also discovered that FAM had transferred funds it received in US dollars to a private company’s bank account, which belongs to a close associate of the football association’s senior members.
Additionally, investigations into FAM discovered that the association had not received any funds in exchange for the dollars it transferred to the private company’s account, which motivated Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem to order the crackdown.
In a statement, PG Office said it launched the investigation through police following numerous allegations concerning financial mismanagement, corruption and gross misconduct.
According to PG Office, they have directed the investigation to focus on gathering evidence related to money laundering, graft, and corruption that will assist in pressing charges against anyone found culpable of the offenses.
FIFA meanwhile, has observed it as a third-party intervention following the police raid on FAM. There have been instances of third-party interventions on the national football federations in India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan earlier which had led to suspensions.
As of now, FIFA remains undecided regarding the FAM case.
