Jack Warner, the former vice president of FIFA, has faced pending U.S. corruption charges for over a decade as a result of his participation in a bribery scandal involving the famous international football governing body. 

Just recently, the United States’ extradition request was denied by Trinidad and Tobago’s high court.

This ongoing legal battle has been fought for about ten years and seems to be coming to a close as the high court of Tobago has permanently stayed Warner’s extradition proceedings.

The whole situation started way back in 2011 when Warner was in control of FIFA. While Warner continues to argue his innocence, the football organization was plagued by a bribery scandal at the time, and Warner took on most of the blame. He was essentially forced out of the organization entirely.

According to future criminal charges, allegations, and unsealed indictments, more details about Warner’s misdeeds have come to light. Warner reportedly willingly accepted $5 million in exchange for his influence on voting for who should host the 2018 World Cup. That year, Russia hosted the World Cup. In 2022, he reportedly received two bribes totaling about $2.1 million for his influence on Qatar to be voted in as the host of the World Cup.

Throughout the years, Warner has repeatedly expressed his innocence. He believes he is only being accused of corruption because the U.S. and U.K. are not favored by the football organization.

One of the best things Warner has done over the years is secure a top-quality defense team. While it’s taken several years, Warner’s defense attorneys have finally ensured that he will never have to be extradited to the U.S. to face racketeering and bribery charges. 

Initially, his legal team took the traditional route of attempting to focus on their client’s innocence, but when that wasn’t working, they pivoted and developed a new strategy. Their winning argument was presented to the Trinidad and Tobago high court on September 12. They argued that their client’s extradition proceedings were entirely flawed based on the act that no formal extradition treaty exists between Trinidad and Tobago and the United States. Upon hearing this argument, Justice Karen Reid had little choice but to agree and rule in favor of Warner.

Extradition Laws

If you ever get charged with a crime in one country but are living somewhere else, then you could potentially face an extradition hearing, too. Extradition hearings happen when one country is considering upholding the arrest warrant of another country and sending an individual to that country to face trial.

This type of scenario is only legal, however, when both countries have a formal, official extradition treaty. According to the Department of Justice, extradition is only granted when a treaty exists or some offer of reciprocity is agreed upon. That said, extradition laws vary widely based on where you’re facing a hearing and where you’re facing an arrest warrant.

The best thing you can do if you’re facing a similar situation is to hire a solid, international lawyer. Schedule a free case review with our global lawyers now to discuss your case in more detail.