NEW YORK – Costa Rican Eduardo Li pleaded not guilty in U.S. court Friday to 19 charges relating to the FIFA corruption scandal.
Eduardo Li, ex-president of the Costa Rican Football Federation (Fedefútbol), was one of seven top football officials arrested in a raid on a Zurich luxury hotel in May, a raid that kicked off an unprecedented crisis at FIFA.
Switzerland extradited Li to the United States on Friday to face charges that include fraud and money laundering. The defense has not asked for a bail hearing, so Li remains in custody. Judge Robert Levy set the next hearing in Li’s case for March 16.
The spiraling scandal at world football’s governing body has led to the suspension of its president, Sepp Blatter, who is currently answering to corruption allegations before FIFA’s ethics committee.
