Former FAM President Bassam Ordered to Surrender Apartments Purchased with Misappropriated Funds

Bassam Adeel Jaleel, the former President of the Football Association of Maldives (FAM), has been ordered to hand over two luxury apartments that were allegedly purchased using funds misappropriated from the association.

The two penthouses, located in Amin Avenue, Hulhumalé, must be turned over to the Maldives Police Service by next Sunday. If Bassam fails to comply, the properties will be seized by the authorities, according to a notice issued to him.

A police media official confirmed the situation, stating, "Police are taking necessary steps to bring the two apartments under police custody."

A seizure warrant for the apartments was issued on September 28, following investigations into the misuse of a USD 1.9 million loan provided by FIFA. The loan was intended to support local football clubs during the financial difficulties brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic.

According to police, Bassam used part of this loan, approximately USD 1 million, to purchase the penthouses, which have reportedly been illegally merged into one unit.

Police have also filed charges against Bassam, Amin Construction, FAM’s former Financial Head Mohamed Ageel, and former FAM official Hassan Waheed. They allege that Bassam, in collaboration with Amin Construction, falsified documents to make the purchase appear as a legitimate currency exchange transaction.

Amin Construction has not returned any of the funds to FAM, as per the findings of the investigation.

Additional Charges

In addition to the apartment scandal, Bassam and Ageel face charges in a separate case, where Bassam is accused of transferring USD 10,000 from FAM’s account into his personal account.

Ongoing Investigations

The Police have been investigating multiple money laundering cases involving the misappropriation of foreign aid meant for FAM. These investigations have revealed that significant funds were transferred into the accounts of FAM officials, as well as individuals and companies linked to the association.

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