Swiss authorities conduct new wave of raids targeting FIFA officials

Another series of pre-dawn raids were conducted by Swiss authorities in Zurich, where more than a dozen current and former FIFA officials are expected to be charged and taken into custody.

One of the scenes included the Baur au Lac hotel - the same location where several officials were arrested in May on corruption charges. Authorities targeted past and present senior officials of the world soccer governing body on racketeering, money laundering, and fraud charges, authorities told The New York Times.

South and Central American officials are expected to be the primary focus of Thursday's raids, with FIFA vice presidents Alfredo Hawit of Honduras and Juan Angel Napout of Paraguay highlighting those involved. Hawit and Napout currently serve as the presidents for CONCACAF and CONMEBOL, respectively.

Both men, who have since contested the possibility of being extradited to the United States, were arrested on charges related to accepting millions of dollars in bribes.

The two were the only officials mentioned by the Justice Department during its announcement that Attorney General Loretta E. Lynch and other law enforcement will conduct a news conference. However, more than a dozen officials are expected to be identified by the end of the day, according to authorities.

"FIFA became aware of the actions taken today by the U.S. Department of Justice. FIFA will continue to cooperate fully with the U.S. investigation as permitted by Swiss law, as well as with the investigation being led by the Swiss Office of the Attorney General," the world soccer governing body said in a statement.

While all the names of those involved have yet to be made public, authorities told the New York Times that FIFA president Sepp Blatter and former secretary general Jerome Valcke were not included.

Members of FIFA's executive committee have been in Zurich as part of a two-day conference to discuss governance reforms.