PG discusses football body fraud with FIFA officials
Former FAM President Bassam Adeel Jaleel is already facing two criminal charges related to the alleged embezzlement of funds from various sources.
Football Association of Maldives (FAM) Normalisation Committee, alongside a visiting delegation from FIFA, on Tuesday held a meeting with the Prosecutor General (PG) Abbas Shareef.
The meeting, held at Hotel Jen at the request of the FAM Normalisation Committee, was around the organisation's ongoing challenges in restoring financial and operational stability following alleged instances of large-scale fraud and corruption.
During the meeting, Prosecutor General Abbas Shareef provided the latest updates on the substantial amounts of money under investigation within the FAM. The discussions revolved around measures to recover the funds and assets lost due to mismanagement and potential fraud.
The FAM Normalisation Committee, tasked with overseeing the restructuring of the association, expressed its struggles to restore normalcy while navigating the complexities of the criminal investigations against former FAM officials.
Prosecutor General Abbas assured the committee that his office is committed to working closely with relevant investigative agencies to resolve these issues. He also stressed the importance of FAM’s efforts to establish safeguards that would prevent similar occurrences in the future.
The investigation into FAM’s financial mismanagement gained momentum last year after former Prosecutor General Hussain Shameem directed police to conduct a thorough inquiry into allegations of fraud and money laundering within the Maldivian football governing body. Former FAM President Bassam Adeel Jaleel is already facing two criminal charges related to the alleged embezzlement of funds from various sources.
The FAM is currently embroiled in several financial investigations:
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$1.9 million fraud case linked to funds received by FAM in relation to COVID-19 relief efforts.
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An alleged misuse of a $10,000 FIFA deposit, which was reportedly diverted into a senior FAM official’s account for personal gain.
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$28,000 transaction into the personal account of former FAM President Bassam Adeel Jaleel.
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$1 million fraud case, details of which are still under investigation.
These cases highlight the financial irregularities that have plagued FAM, contributing to its current state of crisis. In addition to the criminal investigations, the FAM is also grappling with several major financial lawsuits. These include court-ordered enforcement actions for unpaid debts, further complicating the committee’s efforts to stabilise the association’s finances.
Abbas Shareef, in his closing remarks, emphasised the importance of preventive measures, urging the committee to design its reform strategies in a way that safeguards FAM from future financial mismanagement.
