ToplineUEFA, the governing body for soccer in Europe, is considering criminal proceedings against FIFA President Gianni Infantino for criminal mismanagement in Switzerland, according to court documents filed in the U.S. and viewed by Forbes, accusing him of financially mismanaging the organization when he proposed an unsuccessful plan to sell stakes in the World Cup.The European governing body for soccer is preparing to file a complaint against Infantino for “criminal mismanagement,” according to court documents in the U.S.Getty ImagesKey FactsIn a federal court filing in Florida on Thursday, UEFA said it was preparing a possible criminal complaint in Switzerland “against Infantino and possibly other FIFA officials and advisors.”UEFA asked the court to consider serving subpoenas for discovery to FIFA Americas relating to the proposed FIFA Forward Enterprise, including its communications with Thrive Capital, the investment fund founded by Josh Kushner, the leading investor, and BANN Ventures, founded by Greg Maffei, who was listed as an adviser for the deal.UEFA requested documents and communications related to “structuring, financing, and negotiation” of the plan, as well as communications between Infantino and Kushner, Maffei and their advisers.The subpoenas were handed to Thrive in New York and BANN in Colorado on Thursday, ESPN later reported.FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.What Is UEFA Looking For?The court filing claims documents held by FIFA could provide answers as to whether the FIFA president’s price for selling 20% of the World Cup—$4.2 billion—was accurate or “a fraudulently off-market price promoted by Infantino for his own benefit.” It also claims Infantino “unilaterally designated” Thrive as the lead investor, and pushed the plan through internally after a “hastily convened meeting where a limited number of FIFA’s management officials and employees—some of whom had never heard of the plan—were given mere hours to sign off on an unprecedented multi-billion dollar scheme.” UEFA’s filing also criticized the $20 billion valuation for the World Cup as “absurdly low,” calling it a “figure that was neither the product of an open, competitive auction, nor tested by any independent valuer.” Later in the filing, lawyers for UEFA specifically request the valuation work, diligence material from any advisers, documents related to the internal approval process and “agreements, term sheets, and transaction documents” related to the deal. Representatives for Thrive and BANN did not immediately return requests for comment from Forbes.ContraIn Thursday’s filing, UEFA said Infantino’s conduct rises to “the level of criminal mismanagement.” However, it also notes Swiss law does not require UEFA to determine the likelihood of success its criminal case would have beforehand.
Gianni Infantino Could Face Criminal Complaint From UEFA
The European governing body for soccer is preparing to file a complaint against Infantino for “criminal mismanagement,” according to court documents in the U.S.










