Former President of the Football Association of Maldives (FAM), Bassam Adeel Jaleel, who faces accusations of money laundering, has surrendered two apartments allegedly purchased using misappropriated funds from the association to the police.
While the original deadline for handing over the two penthouses, located on Amin Avenue in Hulhumale', was set for yesterday, the police extended it until midnight last night. The police confirmed that the penthouses, situated at Lot No. N2-25, Block A in Hulhumale', were officially handed over at 00:00 hrs.
No further details regarding the case were disclosed by the police.
Bassam is reported to have purchased the two penthouses for USD 1 million using a USD 1.9 million loan granted to FAM by FIFA, intended to support local football clubs during the financial difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. It has also come to light that the two apartments were merged into one, which violates building regulations.
Additionally, it was revealed that FAM secured a loan from a third-party company to create the appearance of receiving the Maldivian Rufiyaa equivalent of the necessary documentation prepared by Amin Avenue.
In a separate but related case, Bassam and former FAM Financial Head Mohamed Ageel are being charged in connection with Bassam’s alleged transfer of USD 10,000 into his personal bank account from FAM's account.
The police have also requested the Prosecutor General's Office to file charges against Bassam, Amin Construction, Mohamed Ageel, and former FAM official Hassan Waheed in this matter.
