Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
Editorials & Other Articles
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
Soccer Official Took Millions Reclaimed After FIFA Scandal, Complaint Alleges
Soccer Official Took Millions Reclaimed After FIFA Scandal, Complaint Alleges
Ahead of the World Cup, the head of South American soccer faces an ethics complaint he received payments recovered from a 2015 investigation that shook global soccer.
Alejandro Dominguez, the president of Conmebol, the South American soccer federation, in Quito, Ecuador, last year. Patricio Teran/Associated Press
By Tariq Panja
Tariq Panja has covered FIFA for nearly two decades.
Published May 18, 2026
Updated May 19, 2026, 12:43 a.m. ET
Leer en español
The soccer federation most affected by the global corruption scandal that upended the sport more than a decade ago is under scrutiny again, just weeks before the World Cup.
Alejandro Dominguez, the leader of Conmebol, the South American soccer organization at the center of the sprawling FIFA scandal in 2015, is facing an ethics complaint that he received millions of dollars from the funds that had been recovered from that case. The complaint was made by a whistle-blower who claims to have direct knowledge of the payments.
Senior FIFA officials have been aware of the complaint against Mr. Dominguez to its ethics committee for more than a year, according to three people with direct knowledge of the complaint who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter.
{snip}
Tariq Panja is a global sports correspondent, focusing on stories where money, geopolitics and crime intersect with the sports world.
A version of this article appears in print on May 19, 2026, Section B, Page 7 of the New York edition with the headline: Top Official Accused Of Claiming Millions In a Corruption Case. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe
Ahead of the World Cup, the head of South American soccer faces an ethics complaint he received payments recovered from a 2015 investigation that shook global soccer.
Alejandro Dominguez, the president of Conmebol, the South American soccer federation, in Quito, Ecuador, last year. Patricio Teran/Associated Press
By Tariq Panja
Tariq Panja has covered FIFA for nearly two decades.
Published May 18, 2026
Updated May 19, 2026, 12:43 a.m. ET
Leer en español
The soccer federation most affected by the global corruption scandal that upended the sport more than a decade ago is under scrutiny again, just weeks before the World Cup.
Alejandro Dominguez, the leader of Conmebol, the South American soccer organization at the center of the sprawling FIFA scandal in 2015, is facing an ethics complaint that he received millions of dollars from the funds that had been recovered from that case. The complaint was made by a whistle-blower who claims to have direct knowledge of the payments.
Senior FIFA officials have been aware of the complaint against Mr. Dominguez to its ethics committee for more than a year, according to three people with direct knowledge of the complaint who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter.
{snip}
Tariq Panja is a global sports correspondent, focusing on stories where money, geopolitics and crime intersect with the sports world.
A version of this article appears in print on May 19, 2026, Section B, Page 7 of the New York edition with the headline: Top Official Accused Of Claiming Millions In a Corruption Case. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe