UEFA preps criminal complaint against FIFA’s Infantino over World Cup sell-off deal

MONACO — The governing body for soccer in Europe is preparing a criminal complaint against FIFA President Gianni Infantino in Swiss courts for possible financial mismanagement over his failed plan to sell future World Cup profits to private investors.

The Union of European Football Associations, or UEFA, said Thursday it filed documents in a Manhattan court requesting discovery of potential evidence from the New York investment fund, Thrive Capital Management, founded by Joshua Kushner, the younger brother of President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner.

UEFA also filed a request in a southern Florida district for authorization of discovery “in a foreign proceeding” against FIFA itself, which has offices in the Miami suburb of Coral Gables.

Thrive and Kushner were to be the anchor investors intending to pay FIFA $4.2 billion for a 20% stake in a subsidiary that would run the soccer body’s commercial events, including the World Cup.

“UEFA and its counsel are contemplating a Swiss criminal proceeding against Infantino and possibly other FIFA officials for criminal mismanagement under Article 158 of the Swiss Criminal Code,” UEFA’s lawyers state in a 56-page document seen by The Associated Press.

The document suggests the $4.2 billion figure could be a “fraudulently off-market price promoted by Infantino for his own benefit.”

Infantino dropped the sell-off plan on Aug. 1 after a furious backlash by global soccer leaders, including UEFA.