PRESS RELEASE TO ALL MEDIA

On Thursday, 29 June 2017, Mr. Bruce Blake, Attorney- at-Law and First Vice President of CIFA was arrested and released on Bail without being charged by investigators from the Anti-Corruption Commission.

Mr. Blake’s arrest was in connection with suspicion of allegations of secret commission and money laundering in relation to the signing of two loan agreements on behalf of CIFA with regards to two amounts of US$600,000 each received in the Butterfield Bank account of CIFA and then transferred to the CIFA loan account at Fidelity Bank. Those two amounts were represented to Mr. Blake to be loans to CIFA to pay down on the CIFA loan at Fidelity Bank in order for Fidelity Bank to remove the charge on the CIFA Centre of Excellence in compliance with FIFA regulations.

Mr. Blake has not at anytime engaged in arranging nor receiving any secret commission. Mr. Blake has not at anytime engaged in money laundering. Mr. Blake has not at anytime received or arranged any corrupt payment for or to CIFA nor any other entity or person(s). Mr. Blake has not at anytime engaged in any secret payment(s) or improper business or unprofessional practices or advantages for himself or any other person(s) or entity.
Mr. Blake is innocent of these suspicious allegations against him and the Law protects the Presumption of his innocence. Therefore, Mr. Blake has nothing to hide and no information to withhold from the Anti-Corruption Commission investigators. So, without any doubt as to his innocence of these suspicious allegations, Mr. Blake has fully cooperated with the investigators with all the relevant information in his possession inclusive of computer, telephone, books and records.

Mr. Blake, as an Attorney-at-Law is aware of the existing Anti-Corruption controls, policies and procedures regarding compliance with the Anti-Corruption Law 2008 and had previously filed a report with the Anti-Corruption commission in relation to this matter.

Mr. Blake is obviously shocked and dismayed by these suspicious allegations, bearing in mind that Mr. Blake fully cooperated with the US authorities, CONCACAF and FIFA in their investigations of these matters.
However, Mr. Blake will not comment further on anything that could jeopardize an active and ongoing
investigation except to say that he is anxiously awaiting the outcome of this investigation to clear his name.
In the meantime, Mr. Blake has and will continue to fully cooperate with the Anti-Corruption investigators in this matter.

A.Steve McField
Attorney for Mr. Bruce Blake

END

IMAGE: Bruce Blake Inside World Football