In a television address on Thursday, former FIFA vice president Jack Warner claimed to have substantial evidence of the soccer organization's alleged corruption. Speaking from his native Trinidad and Tobago, Warner, who for 21 years served as the president of CONCACAF, soccer's North and Central American governing body, said that he feared for his life, but was prepared to unleash all of his knowledge of FIFA's wrongdoings.
“I will no longer keep secrets for them,” he said, before adding, “I reasonably actually fear for my life."
Last week, Warner and 13 other top FIFA officials were included in a 47-count indictment from the U.S. Department of Justice, and were subsequently arrested. While most of the Swiss-assisted, U.S.-led arrests happened near FIFA's headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, Warner was arrested and released on bail in Trinidad.
Warner claims that he was “afforded no due process," and continued to deny all charges. In 2011, he had stepped down as CONCACAF president amid bribery allegations.
In his Thursday speech, which was broadcast as a paid political advertisement, he claimed to have financial evidence that would link FIFA officials with the 2010 Trinidad election, and that he would be handing it over to his lawyers.
While he has yet to tangibly produce any of the evidence he alleges to have, Warner said that he possessed documents that “also deal with my knowledge of transactions at FIFA, including -- but not limited to -- its president, Mr. Sepp Blatter."
“Not even death will stop the avalanche that is coming," Warner said. “The die is cast. There can be no turning back. Let the chips fall where they fall.”
Blatter, who resigned from the FIFA presidency just four days after being reelected to a fifth term, has yet to respond to Warner's allegations.
Warner's stunning address came hours after Chuck Blazer, an ex-FIFA official, saw his 2013 guilty plea released. In those court documents, Blazer admits to bribery in connection with the 1998 and 2010 World Cup bids.
On Wednesday, Interpol added Warner and five other FIFA officials to their most wanted list, issuing an international "red notice" on the men for charges of racketeering and corruption. If Warner tries to leave Trinidad, the Interpol alert puts him at risk for arrest anywhere he travels.