Interpol flags six FIFA officials

Interpol, the international police organization with 190 member countries, issued "red notices" on Wednesday for six people being sought by US authorities as part of their corruption investigation into FIFA officials.

The international wanted person alerts, or red notices, were issued at the request of US authorities, Interpol announced in a statement. They targeted two former FIFA officials and four corporate executives who are wanted on charges that include racketeering, conspiracy and corruption.

Interpol listed the men as follows:

• Jack Warner, Trinidad and Tobago national, former FIFA vice president and executive committee member, CONCACAF president, CFU president and Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation special adviser.
• Nicolas Leoz, Paraguayan national, former FIFA executive committee member and CONMEBOL president.
• Alejandro Burzaco, Argentine national, controlling principal of Torneos y Competencias S.A., a sports marketing business based in Argentina, and its affiliates.
• Hugo Jinkis and Mariano Jinkis, Argentine nationals, controlling principals of Full Play Group S.A., a sports marketing business based in Argentina, and its affiliates.
• Jose Margulies (also known as Jose Lazaro), Brazilian national, controlling principal of Valente Corp. and Somerton Ltd., broadcasting businesses.

Although the men are being sought for arrest by US authorities, Interpol said a red notice was not an international arrest warrant and it could not compel any Interpol member to arrest someone who has been flagged with a red notice.

"Red Notices are one of the ways in which Interpol informs its member countries that an arrest warrant has been issued for an individual by a judicial authority and seeks the location and arrest of wanted persons with a view to extradition or similar lawful action," Interpol clarified on its website.

Warner was arrested last week in his home country of Trinidad and Tobago after turning himself in; however, he is still being sought by US officials.

Other FIFA officials targeted in the US investigation were arrested last week in Zurich, where FIFA's top brass was gathered for the organization's congress, which saw President Sepp Blatter re-elected to a fifth term.

Despite his re-election and seeming acceptance of his renewed mandate over the weekend, Blatter suddenly announced on Tuesday that he would step down from the post as soon as an election for his replacement could be organized. Reports from US media say Blatter himself is the subject of investigation by American authorities, but he has not been charged and is not being sought. US investigators did not comment on his resignation on Tuesday.