Maldives Police Service (MPS) has confiscated the passport of Bassam Adeel Jaleel, President of the Football Association of Maldives (FAM), amid allegations of financial fraud.
The seizure follows serious accusations of misappropriation of funds sent by the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) to FAM. The Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) has indicated that substantial allegations of financial fraud are directed at Bassam, with intentions to file charges once evidence is gathered.
MPS, citing clear documentary evidence in FAM's bank statements, reveals that funds received from various foreign agencies were deposited and utilized within the association's accounts. The MPS initiated an investigation as per the directives of the PGO, leading to a raid on the FAM office building on November 22. During the operation, a substantial amount of documents, server backups, and hard disks were seized. In addition, Bassam's passport was taken into custody in connection with the ongoing case.
In response to these allegations, FAM released a statement denying any involvement in fraud by its members. The association asserted that certain individuals orchestrated the fraud to exploit the situation for their personal interests.