FIFA scandal: Venezuela probes federation chief`s assets

Caracas: Venezuelan prosecutors have launched an investigation into whether money from the corruption scandal shaking FIFA paid for properties owned by the jailed ex-chief of the country`s football federation, Rafael Esquivel.

Esquivel, the now-suspended president of the Venezuelan Football Federation (FVF), was among the seven football officials and marketing executives arrested last month in Zurich to answer to US charges of massive corruption at the heart of world football`s governing body. A total of 14 have been indicted.

"We have detected a series of properties belonging to (Esquivel) and we are going to see if they are connected to any irregularities," Attorney General Luisa Ortega told Venezuela`s Union Radio Tuesday.

Venezuelan authorities raided the FVF`s headquarters last week and froze Esquivel`s assets after the FIFA executive committee member, who was also vice president of South American federation CONMEBOL, was arrested by Swiss police.

Ortega said the investigation was focused on Esquivel as an individual and not the FVF.