Lima (Peru): The former president of Peru's soccer federation Manuel Burga was arrested amid an ongoing US-led investigation into corruption at the sport's world governing body FIFA.

Burga was among 16 people, including current and former Latin American soccer chiefs, who were charged with bribery schemes by the US officials, Xinhua reported.

Burga, 58, who was head of the Peruvian Football Federation (FPF) for 12 years till 2014, denied wrongdoing as police arrested him on Saturday in Lima.

"I reiterate that I'm innocent. I haven't received any bungs or bribes," Burga said.

Burga was suspected of receiving bribes and kickbacks for granting broadcasting rights of Copa America matches to company Torneos y Campeonatos (TyC).

Ecuador orders arrest of its football chief

Ecuador ordered the arrest of its football federation (FEF) president Luis Chiriboga after he was named by US authorities as one of the 16 people connected with a multi-million dollar bribery scandal.

Chiriboga was suspended by the FEF board for a period of 90 days, after his bank accounts, and those of two other FEF officials, were frozen by prosecutors, and the FEF offices in the coastal city of Guayaquil were searched, reports Xinhua.

FEF vice-president Luis Villacis was put in charge after Chiriboga was suspended from his post.

The measures came after US Attorney General Loretta Lynch accused 16 former and current football officials in Latin America, including Chiriboga, of corruption.

Ecuadoran Attorney General Galo Chiriboga said that information from Lynch's office has been added to the investigation over the FEF officials.

"These crimes were committed in Ecuador, therefore Ecuadoran justice department and the National Attorney General's Office have all the constitutional rights to investigate them," said Galo Chiriboga.

Luis Chiriboga's lawyer, meanwhile, said he had the evidence to clear his client of the charges and would provide them when the time came.

(IANS)

(Image courtesy: crainsnewyork)