Former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner has lost his appeal against extradition from his homeland of Trinidad and Tobago.
According to Reuters, a London court ruled on the case on Thursday, and Warner will now face corruption charges in the United States.
Warner had initially sought to have the extradition committal proceedings put on hold until he could appeal Justice James Aboud’s ruling on his case.
However, Warner’s judicial review claim challenging his extradition to the US was dismissed. He is wanted on charges for a series of fraud-related offences.
Those offences allegedly include bribery and money laundering, which he committed during his tenure as vice president of world football’s governing body, FIFA.
Warner’s lawyers argued that his extradition was unlawful. However, London’s Privy Council, the highest court of appeal for several Commonwealth countries, unanimously dismissed his appeal.
Suspicion and rumours arose during the 2010 votes by FIFA’s executives to ensure Russia hosted the 2018 World Cup and to hand this year’s edition set to begin in less than three days to Qatar.
The U.S. Department of Justice indicted Warner in 2020, alleging that bribes were paid to football officials to secure their votes for hosting rights.
They also alleged that the 79-year-old was paid $5 million through various shell companies to vote for Russia to host the 2018 World Cup.
When he was the president of CONCACAF, his role gave him enormous influence as a powerbroker for former FIFA chief Sepp Blatter.
Despite his influence, he was suspended by FIFA in 2011 and 2015 and then charged with wire fraud, racketeering, and money laundering by the US.
The football governing body gave him a life ban from all football-related activities in 2015. However, Warner has stuck to his guns throughout his trial and has consistently denied any wrongdoing.
