IRS investigates former CONCACAF president Jack Warner's financial legacy

The president of CONCACAF, Jeffrey Webb, has confirmed that the United States’ Internal Revenue Services (IRS), accounting firm BDO International and global legal company Sidley Austin LLP are looking into the financial legacy of his predecessor, Trinidad and Tobago’s National Security Minister Jack Warner.

A report of the investigations was supposed to have been handed over to the CONCACAF Executive at an extraordinary congress this month, but Webb claimed the scale of the operation has forced a postponement until the first quarter of 2013, writes Wired868.

“This audit is a massive undertaking that will set our financial house straight and ensure that CONCACAF’s operations are executed in a responsible and ethical manner going forward,” said Webb, via a media release. 

“This initiative was inspired by the new CONCACAF’s commitment to full accountability and transparency and it is essential that we get this right so we can move on to focus on our true purpose, the development of the game.”

In a release to the CONCACAF member associations, Webb insisted that the confederation was still investigating the ownership of the João Havelange Centre of Excellence in Trinidad and Tobago. Warner claimed the Centre of Excellence was meant to be a gift for Caribbean football from ex-FIFA president João Havelange and was funded by the confederation. 

Webb revealed that Sidley Austin LLP is reviewing the matter to determine if the confederation has any legal right to the Centre of Excellence and whether there were any loans or guarantees taken out on CONCACAF property.

Warner was CONCACAF president from 1991 to 2011 when he quit after being indicted by FIFA for allegedly facilitating the bribery of Caribbean Football Union (CFU) officials.

Sources: Wired868.com, KeirRadnedge.com

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