Russia denies allegations of bribes paid to win 2018 World Cup

Russia denied allegations of bribes paid to FIFA executive committee members to gain their votes for Russia to host the 2018 World Cup.

An indictment unsealed Monday in U.S. District Court in Brooklyn says Jack Warner of Trinidad and Tobago, president of the North and Central American and Caribbean governing body CONCACAF, received 5 million US dolalrs in bribes to vote for Russia to host in 2018 from 10 different shell companies that included entities in Anguilla, Cyprus and the British Virgin Islands.

Guatemala federation president Rafael Salguero was promised a 1 million US dollars bribe to vote for Russia, according to the indictment.

Spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin Dmitry Peskov vehemently denied allegations saying Russia was granted the right to host the competition "on absolutely legal basis".

Indictment also alleged that Nicolas Leoz, then president of the South American governing body CONMEBOL, and former Brazil federation president Ricardo Teixeira received bribes to vote for Qatar at the 2010 FIFA executive committee meeting.

Leoz, who died last August, avoided extradition, as have Warner and Teixeira. Salguero pleaded guilty in 2018 to two counts of wire fraud conspiracy and one count each of racketeering conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy.