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Ex-FIFA executive member Chuck Blazer Reuters/Arnd Wiegmann

Chuck Blazer, a former FIFA executive, recently admitted that he accepted bribes from bidders looking to host the 1998 and 2010 World Cups. New York Times wrote that Blazer entered a plea of guilty that would result to corruption charges against top executives of FIFA. He said that among other things, he agreed with other people sometime in 1992 to arrange the acceptance of a bribe regarding the selection of the host nation for the 1998 World Cup. France eventually won the bidding of the 1998 tournament. Next, Blazer said that he and others on the FIFA executive committee also accepted bribes regarding the selection of South Africa as the 2010 World Cup host nation.

ESPN revealed that Blazer also confessed to corruption involving the CONCACAF Gold Cup, a tournament that he helped start in 1991. "Beginning in or about 1993 and continuing through the early 2000s, I and others agreed to accept bribes and kickbacks in conjunction with the broadcast and other rights to the 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002 and 2003 Gold Cups," Blazer said.

Blazer is currently 70 years old and confined in a wheelchair. He said that he is undergoing chemotherapy and radiation for rectal cancer. He forfeited over $1.9 million when he pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy, racketeering conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, income tax evasion and failure to file a Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts. Blazer also agreed to pay a second time during sentencing.

Because of his plea, Blazer can be punished with imprisonment for up to 20 years. Aside from Blazer Daryan and Daryll Warner are also cooperating witnesses in the FIFA case. The Warners and Blazer pleaded guilty in 2013. For their cooperation, prosecutors may give them little or no prison time, a departure from sentencing guidelines and an informant green card or S visa.

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