"Bundles of cash" given to Caribbean associations by Bin Hammam it is claimed

By Andrew Warshaw in Zurich

May 30 – The clearest proof yet that bribes were definitely offered to Caribbean members of FIFA emerged today when a picture of bundles of cash allegedly delivered in a brown envelope was released to newspapers around the world.

The Press Association news agency obtained a picture of the payment which a Caribbean·football official claims he was offered following a presentation by Mohamed Bin Hammam, who recently pulled out of the FIFA presidential race, in Trinidad on May 10-11.

The picture has the name Bahamas on it, the country which first reported the alleged bribe to CONCACAF general secretary Chuck Blazer.·

Inside the envelope was $40,000 (£24,000) in crisp, new $100 (£61) bills – four·packs each of $10,000 (£6,000).

insideworldfootball has already been informed that that the 25 Associations present – whose flights and hotel accommodation were covered by Bin Hammam – were asked to pick up their “gifts” one by one, allegedly by two Caribbean Football Union (CFU) officials on the instruction of CONCACAF President Jack Warner.

Both Bin Hammam and Warner were suspended yesterday over the bribery scandal.

According to Fred Lunn, the vice-president of the Bahamas Football Association, when he opened his envelope,·”stacks of US 100 fell out and on to the table.

“I was stunned to see this·cash,” he apparently said in an affidavit presented to FIFA’s Ethics Committee.

Lunn decided to hold on to the money and contact his Association’s president Anton Sealey, which he did by text message.

Copies of these text messages were also sent to the Ethics Committee which yesterday suspended not only Bin Hammam and FIFA vice-president Warner pending a full inquiry but also CFU officials Debbie Minguell and Jason Sylvester have also been·suspended.

Sealey then called Lunn and told him ”under no circumstances would the Bahamas·FA accept such a cash gift” and that he should return the $40,000.

Lunn took a picture of the money before he replaced it in the envelope, and·when he returned to the conference room to hand it back he had to wait while·other officials queued to go in.

The following morning, May 11, Lunn attended a meeting where delegates were·addressed by Warner, who is also the head of the CFU.

”Mr Warner stated that he had instructed Mr Bin Hammam to bring the cash·equivalent of any gift he had intended to bring for the people attending this·meeting,” said Lunn in his affidavit.

”Mr Warner then stated that the money could be used for any purpose…for·grassroots programs or any purpose the individuals saw fit.”

Blazer contacted Warner in person to question the payments.

”Mr Warner stated that since Mr Bin Hammam was going to be giving the money to·the delegates, it was Mr Warner’s idea to claim that the money was from the CFU·so that it was clear to the delegates that Mr Warner was responsible for getting·the money to them,” said Blazer in his own affidavit.

Blazer’s affidavit adds: ”Mr Warner told me that that morning he had told to·the CFU delegates that Bin Hammam was the actual source of the money and that he [Mr Warner] explained to the delegates that everything was ok because he had·advised Mr Bin Hammam to bring the ‘gifts’ in cash and it was his [Mr Warner’s]·idea to claim that the money was from the CFU.

“I told Mr Warner that I was upset that he had caused these cash payments ton·be made.

“I noted that in 21 years of working together in CONCACAF we had never paid anyone for a vote.”

Contact the writer of this story at zib.l1732681702labto1732681702ofdlr1732681702owedi1732681702sni@w1732681702ahsra1732681702w.wer1732681702dna1732681702