Banker pleads guilty in money-laundering case

A former Swiss banker has been convicted of money laundering in the United States as the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland concluded its first case in the series of football-related investigations.

Jorge Luis Arzuaga, a private banker formerly employed by Swiss banks, pleaded guilty at a federal courthouse in Brooklyn, New York on Thursday, the United States department of justice said.

Swiss and US law enforcement officials have been working together to investigate and prosecute alleged corruption in world football which has resulted in the downfall of numerous officials with connections to FIFA, the world governing body. There are 25 investigations ongoing.

The OAG of Switzerland said in a statement on Friday: "To date, 178 MROS (Money Laundering Reporting Office Switzerland) reports of suspected money-laundering transactions have been received in connection with the football investigations.

"The OAG is conducting around 25 separate investigations in football-related cases, and is in the process of analysing seized documents containing some 19 terabytes of data."

FBI assistant director-in-charge William Sweeney said: "Our work is nowhere near finished, and we will continue to pursue each and every corrupt member of this scheme until each is brought to justice."

Arzuaga admitted taking part in a money-laundering conspiracy "in connection with the distribution and receipt of millions of dollars of bribes paid to soccer officials" including the late president of the Argentinian football federation, Julio Grondona, who died in 2014.

The 56-year-old Arzuaga managed several accounts controlled by Alejandro Burzaco, assisting in the payment of 25 million US dollars in bribes. He received more than one million dollars in bonus payments which he will now forfeit.

Burzaco pleaded guilty to racketeering and other offences in November 2015.

Acting US attorney Bridget Rohde said on Thursday: "By facilitating the flow of bribe money through the Swiss and American banking systems, the defendant provided a critical service to those involved in corruption in international soccer.

"Today's plea marks another important step in our continuing effort to hold accountable those who facilitate the movement of criminal proceeds in the United States and across the globe."