FAM ordered to pay MVR 52m within a month

The Football Association of Maldives (FAM), already immersed in debt due to a major financial crisis, has been slapped with yet another massive court ruling.

The case, which was heard at the Civil Court, was filed for breach of contract. The case against FAM was filed by a South African company; T-Quinn Construction Co. Ltd.

This was related to an agreement made between FAM and the company in 2021.

The company has sought payment for the work done on the football grounds established in Vilimalé and Hulhumalé, as well as other related work, claiming that FAM had not paid according to the agreement. They sought compensation for this.

Judge Ali Abdulla ordered FAM to pay USD 3,382,000, which is approximately MVR 52,150,440.

While FAM's former president Bassam Adeel Jaleel and senior officials are accused of embezzling funds received from various international organizations, charges have been filed against Bassam.

Recently, a related case was sent to the Prosecutor General's Office (PG Office) seeking to press charges against Bassam.

FAM has faced multiple court rulings for breaching agreements with various companies and for not paying for services received, in the past.

In some of these cases brought to court, no representative from FAM even showed up to respond. The ruling on Thursday was also made in FAM's absence.

Bassam, who is accused of being involved in the FAM embezzlement case, was recently ordered to hand over two apartments in his possession at Amin Avenue in Hulhumalé to the police institution before October 6, in connection with the FAM embezzlement case.

In August 2024, the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) suspended Bassam, who is accused of embezzling funds received by the house from several foreign agencies.

At a time FIFA has suspended Bassam, he has been slapped with multiple charges and is currently being tried at court.

The decision followed an investigation conducted by FIFA into the FAM raids for corruption, money laundering and other crimes.

Officers of the Maldives Police Service (MPS) raided FAM under an order issued by PG Office.

After the raid, officers confiscated some materials required for the investigation.

An investigation is also underway to find out whether Bassam, received any donations or benefits from another party, as the president of FAM.

It has also been decided that an investigation will be carried out to find out if Bassam misused the funds provided to FAM by multiple agencies.

FIFA has informed Bassam that he will be banned from all football activities for a nine-month period.

The police institution is investigating corruption within the FAM house, and it is a major issue presently under investigation.

In accordance with the part of the investigation that has been wrapped up so far, the trial of Bassam is proceeding and is currently in the preliminary stage.

Two charges have been filed against Bassam in connection with the case, so far; money laundering and fraud. In January, charges were levied for fraud and money laundering, at the Criminal Court.

PG Office also sought from the state to recover the USD 10,000 laundered in the case.

The state prosecutors have claimed at the court that the cases under investigation currently include a USD one million case and several other cases.

In April the PG Office alleged that Bassam had embezzled a hefty amount of money received by the association, for his own expenses. Information shared by the PG Office indicates that FIFA had provided USD 12.4 million to FAM between 2018 and October 2023, in aid.

The PG Office went on to reveal that FAM also acquired funds through the government, as well as by renting out fields.

PG Office has also alleged that when FIFA’s funds were deposited in USD, FAM had exchanged them for Maldivian Rufiyaa, without adhering to any rules and procedures and without maintaining a relevant record for the transactions.

The office revealed that Bassam purchased properties using FAM funds, made expenses for businesses registered under his name using FAM funds and even used the funds to take care of family expenses as well as travelling abroad.

It has also come to light that Bassam is also linked to the Maldives Marketing and Public Relations Corporation (MMPRC) money laundering case, which is also being probed by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC).

According to the PG Office, the executive committee of FAM is responsible for all decisions, and they were not bothered when FAM’s funds were deposited to the personal accounts of its employees and did not examine the issue at all.