U.S. charges against FIFA officials, possible sentences

FIFA President Sepp Blatter (R) and Julio Rocha (L), president of the Nicaraguan Federation of Football (NFF), inaugurate a new football stadium in Managua April 14, 2011. REUTERS/Oswaldo Rivas

(Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department has charged five executives and nine officials of football's global governing body, FIFA, with racketeering.

U.S. code defines racketeering as any criminal activity performed to benefit an organisation, including extortion, money laundering and bribery. In a 166-page indictment, the Justice Department accused the defendants of engaging in such activities.