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Warner and Blazer accused of fraud by CONCACAF.PANAMA CITY, April 19 (Reuters) - CONCACAF's former leaders Jack Warner and Chuck Blazer were slammed as "fraudulent in their management" of the soccer confederation's affairs by the head of the regional body's Integrity Committee on Friday.

David Simmons presented CONCACAF's congress with a detailed report into allegations of financial mismanagement by former president Warner and ex-general secretary Blazer based on documents and interviews with 38 people.

"I have recounted a sad and sorry tale in the life of CONCACAF, a tale of abuse of position and power, by persons who assisted in bringing the organisation to profitability but who enriched themselves at the expense of their very own organisations," said Simmons, a former Barbados chief justice.

Delegates responded angrily to the report with one describing Warner, who is Minister of National Security in the Trinidad and Tobago government, and American Blazer as "white collar thieves".

The report found that Warner, 70, did not disclose to CONCACAF, which represents soccer in North and Central America and the Caribbean, or world body FIFA that a $25.9 million Centre of Excellence was built on land owned by his companies.

"Approximately $26 million of CONCACAF funds went into Centre of Excellence and that is no longer an asset of CONCACAF," said Simmons.

CONCACAF is looking at legal options regarding the Centre.

NO CONTRACT

Simmons said the 67-year-old Blazer, who is standing down from FIFA's executive committee and will be replaced by a vote at congress on Friday, received more than $20 million in compensation from CONCACAF, including $17 million in commission.

He added that Blazer worked without a contract from July 18, 1998 and his compensation was discussed only three times in CONCACAF forums during 21 years.

The report also found "no business reason" for the renting of apartments used by Blazer in Manhattan and said the American had also tried to buy property in the Bahamas, in 2007, for about $4 million using football funds.

The 67-year-old Blazer was described by Simmons as "entirely negligent" for failing to file income tax returns for CONCACAF in the United States which led to the body losing its tax-exempt status as a non-profit organisation.

Concluding his report, Simmons said the auditors used by CONCACAF during the Warner era, Trinidad-based Kenny Rampersad and Company, were not independent and cited documented proof that Warner and Blazer were clients of the firm.

Neither Warner nor Blazer were immediately available to comment. Both men have always previously denied any wrongdoing.

Warner walked away from soccer in 2011 and thus did not have to face a FIFA Ethics Commission inquiry relating to bribery allegations surrounding the body's presidential election while Blazer resigned as general secretary in December that year.

The Integrity committee was not asked to look into the details of the 'cash for votes' affair that led to the row between Warner and Blazer and their subsequent departures.

HAVELANGE CENTRE

Simmons began his address to the congress, including FIFA president Sepp Blatter, by highlighting the case of the Joao Havelange Centre of Excellence in Port of Spain, Trinidad.

The Integrity Committee reported that the Centre in which CONCACAF invested at least $25.9 million, some of which included loans from FIFA, was built on land owned by Warner privately and not the confederation.

"Warner represented to FIFA that funds would be used to support development but never told FIFA that Centre would be situated on land owned by his companies," said Simmons.

"There is no evidence that Warner or anyone else ever disclosed to the CONCACAF executive committee or congress that lands on which the Centre was built was owned by his companies," he said.

Simmons said that in deals surrounding the Centre, Warner "deceived persons and organisations" into believing the facility was CONCACAF's and not his.

Simmons said that neither Warner nor Blazer cooperated with the investigation. (Reporting by Simon Evans; Editing by Ken Ferris).

RELATED NEWS

Statement by TTFF president Raymond Tim Kee.
By Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).


The following is a statement issued by Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation President Raymond Tim Kee on the revelations made by the CONCACAF Integrity Committee at today's CONCACAF Congress at the Westin Playa Hotel in Panama.

My first response was one of surprise. With everyone with whom I spoke to previously.it was  felt that you should wait on the facts before you engage in any passing of blame. What I heard today was empirical. I do not know that there is any doubt in anybody's mind about some of the things that transpired.

I thought that the head of the Integrity committee Sir David Simmons was particularly unambiguous in his statement was when he alluded to things such as 'fraudulent' and I thought that was a serious statement.What I thought was good about the inquiry  is that evidence was produced.

This is not a happy day for Trinidad and Tobago nor is it a happy day for me because this of course is about Trinidad.

I want to make something categorically clear in that the TTFF does not take ownership or responsibility for anything that was said under my presidency I intend to observe all the best practices in the conducing of business of any organizations. Accountability, transparency, all inclusiveness - the three pillars of which I intend to move forward with football. I thought the evidence produced was overwhelming.

On the matter of a resolution to the matter involving the 2006 World Cup players

"All I can say is that we are on the home-straight with those discussions. I expect that within just a few days we will consummate all the arrangements and agreements. I have had quite some useful discussions with the Soca Warriors representatives Shaka Hislop and Brent Sancho and we were able to come to a common understanding and agreement as to how we should bring closure to this vexatious  situation.

I feel quite good about it because there is no doubt in my mind that they took the field in Germany and made us proud. That's history. I feel this whole scenario should not have come to this where there was so much anger, displeasure and hate even.

I am very pleased that we are seeing the end of it. Those are our heroes. I hope to forge some relationships with them  so that we can bring them into the fold in a true meaningful way so that they can be part of the building process.

Raymond Tim Kee
President
TTFF