Blatter is suspected of criminal mismanagement and misappropriation.
FIFA President Sepp Blatter is under investigation by the Attorney General of Switzerland for criminal mismanagement and misappropriation, the government agency announced Friday.
Fabrice Coffrini / AFP / Getty Images
The statement released by the Swiss Attorney General said Blatter is being investigated "on suspicion of criminal mismanagement as well as – alternatively – on suspicion of misappropriation." The probe stems from a contract Blatter signed with former President of the Caribbean Football Union, Jack Warner, who has been charged by U.S. authorities with corruption.
"There is suspicion that, in the implementation of this agreement, [Sepp] Blatter also violated his fiduciary duties and acted against the interest of FIFA and/or FIFA Marketing & TV AG," according to the statement.
Blatter is also accused of making "a disloyal payment" of two million Swiss Francs to Michael Platini, President of Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) who was the current favorite to replace Blatter as FIFA president. Platini was also questioned on Friday morning.
On Friday morning Blatter was "interrogated" by the Swiss government, and his office "has been searched and data seized." FIFA headquarters were also raided by federal police.
A press conference scheduled at FIFA's headquarters in Zurich was canceled Friday.
FIFA released a statement saying it is cooperating with the Swiss Attorney General.
"We will continue this level of cooperation throughout the investigation," the statement reads. "Today, at the Home of FIFA, representatives from the Office of the Swiss Attorney General conducted interviews and gathered documents pursuant to its investigation. FIFA facilitated these interviews as part of our ongoing cooperation."
The organization refused to comment further.
In June 2015, amid investigations into top-ranking FIFA officials for corruption, Blatter announced his intent to resign as FIFA President. He had recently been re-elected, but said in June that he would allow an Executive Committee to determine his future at the helm of soccer's governing body.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates and follow BuzzFeed News on Twitter.
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