The Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) has levelled fresh charges against Bassam Adeel Jaleel, the former president of the Football Association of Maldives (FAM), in connection with a significant corruption scandal involving FIFA funds.

The latest allegations centre on two primary offences. The first involves the embezzlement of USD 120,000 in FIFA funds, which were meant for football development but were instead used to purchase property at Amin Avenue. If found guilty of this charge, Bassam could face imprisonment for one year, seven months and six days.

The second charge relates to money laundering, specifically concerning the purchase of a luxury penthouse. According to prosecutors, Bassam orchestrated the transfer of MVR 25 million (including GST, booking and commitment fees) from FAM's USD account through various companies to acquire an eight-bedroom, ten-bathroom penthouse located on the 12th and 13th floors of Amin Avenue Block A. This offence carries a potential prison sentence of five to 15 years, along with a fine ranging from MVR 100,000 to MVR 1 million.

The PGO is pursuing additional measures, including the recovery of USD 1.2 million as compensation for losses incurred by FAM and the seizure of the penthouse allegedly purchased with laundered funds.

These charges add to existing legal proceedings against Bassam, who was initially charged with corruption in January 2024, with hearings currently ongoing at the Criminal Court. The prosecution has indicated that further charges may be forthcoming, as investigations continue in collaboration with the Maldives Police Service.

The PGO has also announced plans to press charges against other FAM staff members implicated in the scandal.