FIFA Corruption Arrests (2015)

The 2015 FBI raids on Zurich hotels netted 14 FIFA officials indicted on charges of over $200 million in bribes linked to World Cup hosting rights. This scandal uncovered a two-decade racket where executives traded votes for cash, luxury goods, and political favors — South Africa's 2010 World Cup bid alone funneled $10 million in bribes to Caribbean officials. The fallout outpaced #2 by indictment scale, with 41 total convictions spanning 20 countries by 2023. Data reveals the depth of corruption: FIFA's 2011 annual report listed $29 million in "consulting fees" to shell accounts, while its ethics committee, meant to oversee such conduct, issued zero sanctions before the FBI intervened.