Bassam faces criminal charges for using FAM funds to purchase luxury apartments

The police have requested criminal charges against Bassam Adeel Jaleel, the embattled former president of the Football Association of Maldives (FAM), for purchasing apartments from a luxury apartment complex in Hulhumale’ using funds received by the association to provide financial relief to football clubs during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Bassam is under investigation for multiple cases of embezzlement and money laundering.

In a press briefing on Wednesday afternoon, Head of Major Crime Investigations, Chief Superintendent of Police Hassan Shifau told reporters that the police have asked the Prosecutor General’s Office (PGO) for charges against Bassam and others involved in the case.

The police investigation uncovered that in 2021, Bassam embezzled USD 1 million out of  an USD 1.9 million loan provided by the Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) to disburse funds to football clubs during the Covid-19 pandemic.

He used over MVR 3 million in FAM funds to purchase two apartments from Amin Avenue.

The payments to Amin Construction – the developer of Amin Avenue - were made in three installments.

Investigators also found a fake paper trial was set up to make it appear like an equivalent amount of Maldivian Rufiyaa was transferred to FAM’s bank account to replace the embezzled USD 1 million.

The police have asked for criminal charges against Bassam, Amin Construction, FAM’s then-finance head Mohamed Aqeel, and Hassan Waheed (Dhona), another former FAM official.

Bassam, Aqeel and Dhona are suspected of embezzlement, fraud and money laundering.

On June 20, FIFA suspended Bassam for nine months over the allegations against him.

Bassam also faces more charges as the police investigate additional cases related to corruption within the FAM.

He has repeatedly denied the allegations against him.

The police launched the investigation into the FAM on October 22, 2023, on special orders from the then-prosecutor general Hussain Shameem.