Warner named in Haitian aid scandal.
By: Lasana Liburd (wired868).... FIFA allegedly stops TTFF fundsTrinidad and Tobago Works Minister and ex-FIFA Vice President Jack Warner is a central figure in a fresh financial scandal after an exclusive report by the UK Sunday Times revealed that close to $4.4 million (US$690,000) donated by FIFA and South Korea never made it to the Federation of Haitian Football (FHF).
Warner, in his capacity as CONCACAF and Caribbean Football Union (CFU) president, collected $4.76 million (US$750,000) on behalf of Haiti after the Caribbean island was stunned by a massive earthquake on 12 January 2010.
The Haitian government estimated that 316,000 persons were killed including over 30 football officials as the FHF building was reduced to rubble.
However, FHF Yves Jean-Bart told Sunday Times reporters, James Corbett, Jonathan Calvert and Heidi Blake that only $381,000 (US$60,000) made it to grief-stricken nation from the aid money allegedly given to Warner.
"Warner always told me your money is there, is available, any time," Jean-Bart told the Times, "but I didn't get it."
Wired868 attempted to contact Warner by phone but the Chaguanas West MP has not yet responded to enquiries.
Warner mentioned the FIFA aid of roughly $1.6 million (US$250,000) when he toured Port-au-Prince in January 2010 and insisted that sport will play its part in helping the restoration of one of the world's poorest nations.
Wealthy South Korean businessman and politician, Chung Mong-Joon, who is also a former FIFA vice president, donated $3.2 million (US$500,000) to Haiti's relief fund. South Korea was bidding to host the 2022 World Cup at the time.
"It is a humanitarian crisis," said Warner. "Sport is a vehicle for social transformation... Let us share this hope with Haiti so she can rise again.
"FIFA understands its role in inspiring a nation... Let us use sport to ignite hope."
Warner further promised to coordinate aid efforts for Haiti.
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