The Football Association of Maldives (FAM) Normalisation Committee and the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) delegation, who are currently in the Maldives, met with Prosecutor General Abbas Shareef on Tuesday.
During the meeting, held at the Normalisation Committee’s request, Shareef shared the latest on the FAM money laundering case, and the parties discussed next steps to recover the money and property lost by the FAM, the PG’s Office confirmed.
The Normalisation Committee further briefed Shareef on the difficulties faced by the FAM in restoring normal operations in connection with the ongoing criminal investigation.
Shareef, urging the FAM to formulate and implement measures in order to prevent such actions from recurring, assured the parties that he would engage with the investigating agencies to find a solution that will restore normalcy to FAM operations.
On 22 October 2023, the former PG Hussain Shamim ordered an investigation into alleged embezzlement of funds from various parties by the FAM.
While the police are still investigating the case, the agency has sent a request to the PG’s Office to prosecute former FAM president Bassam Adeel Jaleel for misappropriation of funds—including for the purchase of apartments at Amin Avenue with FIFA funds.
Police investigations revealed that, of the US$1.9 million in FIFA funds allocated to the FAM, Jaleel spent, across three payments, US$1 million to buy an apartment at Amin Avenue.
Charges have also been brought against Amin Construction, FAM’s former Finance Head, Mohamed Ageel, and former FAM staff member, as well as later Chairman at Club Valencia, Hassan Waheed.
The FIFA Investigative Chamber suspended Jaleel from all footballing activities for nine months on 20 June 2024 for allegedly abusing his position as the chief executive at FAM by soliciting gifts while misusing funds.
In February this year, prosecutors charged Jaleel with fraud and money laundering, while his passport was also withheld until the case is resolved.
