Details continue to emerge about the alleged $1 million in bribes offered to 25 Caribbean associations at a special meeting of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) in Trinidad earlier this month.FIFA vice president Jack Warner, who also is T&T's Works and Transport Minister, along with another executive committee member, Mohamed bin Hammam, have been suspended pending a full investigation into the allegations.According to latest reports, five regional football associations have told investigators they rejected the offers of individual payments of US$40,000 in $100 bills.However, 13 of the associations have written statements supporting Warner's denial any such offers were made.Caribbean football officials have been warned by Chuck Blazer, general secretary of Concacaf (who was fired yesterday) and the man who first revealed the bribery allegations, to pay back any cash they might have been given during the controversial meeting or face investigation.Pictures of some of the cash offered emerged on Monday, confirming the money was arranged in four $10,000 stacks in brown envelopes.The picture was taken by Fred Lunn, the Bahamas FA general secretary, who initially took the money before calling his president, Anton Sealey, to ask what to do.
Sealey ordered him to take the picture and return the cash and then contacted Blazer to warn him of the bribery attempt.In his witness statement, which forms part of the evidence filed to FIFA, Lunn was one of the first to go up to the room where he was handed a large brown envelope.He said in an affidavit when he opened it "stacks of US $100 bills fell out on the table. I was stunned to see this cash."He texted Sealey, saying "a lot of the boys taking the cash. This is sad given the breaking news on CNN. I'm truly surprised it's happening at this conference."In London that day, allegations that Qatar's bid team for the 2022 World Cup had paid bribes for votes had been made in Parliament.There also are reports Simpaul Travel arranged travel for 50 delegates to the meeting held in Trinidad, receiving up to $360,000 from bin Hammam.Simpaul was previously at the centre of a World Cup ticket-touting scandal in 2006 that saw Warner reprimanded by FIFA.Witness statements and documents that form the basis of the investigation indicate that Simpaul was involved in arranging flights and hotel rooms for delegates.Delegates were told they had to arrange their travel through the CFU, of which Warner is president, using a form provided with the formal invitation to the meeting.
The invitation stated that if delegates did not book travel through the CFU they could not be guaranteed reimbursement.Simpaul's involvement is endorsed by testimony from Sonia Bien-Aime, the secretary general of the Turks and Caicos Islands Football Association, who is a key witness to the enquiry."Ms Bien-Aime stated the airline ticket she received to attend the meeting had been sent by Simpaul Travel in Trinidad," the report says.Although they are not accused of any wrongdoing in this instance, the travel company was previously investigated by FIFA after it was revealed tickets for the 2006 World Cup intended for Trinidad fans were channeled through the company and sold at a profit of around $1 million.Warner owned shares in the company and his son, Daryan, was a director.Warner received only a reprimand for his involvement in the scandal and was required to end family involvement in the company.Meanwhile, Blazer said yesterday he had reported Jack Warner for breaking the rules of his suspension from the world soccer body."I've sent a communication to FIFA," Blazer said in Zurich.Warner has been suspended from all football-related activity ending an enquiry into bribery allegations but has been reported for breaching the terms of that ban.Blazer said the Concacaf president had still been getting involved in the business of the confederation.He said Warner had been meeting associations and a statement from acting Concacaf president Lisle Austin had come from Warner's aide.Blazer said: "We have clear evidence of a violation of his suspension and we have reported that to the FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke."He has also been meeting with (Concacaf) members, which is against the rules of the suspension."