Swiss media reported on Friday that Swiss prosecutors will close a three-year-long probe into former attorney general Michael Lauber’s meetings with FIFA president Gianni Infantino. Lauber had lost his job following the revelation of his undisclosed meetings with the FIFA president, and was informed this week that prosecutors Ulrich Weder and Hans Maurer had decided to shut down the probe. It was alleged that Lauber had met with Infantino on three different occasions.
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Complaints from anonymous sources in Switzerland accused Lauber of abusing the power afforded to him by holding public office. Infantino was also included in the case as a potential actor in the corruption scandal. Lauber and Infantino were said to have met with each other twice in 2016 and one time in 2017. Running parallel to an investigation by the US Justice Department, the Swiss alleged that the meetings took place shortly after Infantino became FIFA president.
Lauber and Infantino stated that they had no recollection of what was said or discussed during the meetings. Lauber was removed as the attorney general in 2020 after misleading and obstructing an oversight and accountability office that was tasked with monitoring prosecutors.
Lauber’s lawyer confirms the case is shut, FIFA states dismissal is not a surprise
Lauber’s lawyer has confirmed to the media that the case being investigated by the two special prosecutors has been closed down. Prosecutors Weder and Maurer took charge after the first prosecutor Stefan Keller was dismissed following allegations by Infantino of bias against the FIFA president. FIFA, in a statement, said that the “intended dismissal of this case is no surprise.”
They added, “[Infantino] will speak about this matter only after the [women’s world cup] has ended and when prosecutors have officially communicated their decision.”
