GRAND CAYMAN, Cayman Islands – Following the news from Zurich last Wednesday, the 27th of May, 2015, of the arrest of a number of FIFA officials, including Caymanian Jeffrey Webb, the Government has been carefully monitoring developments.

This was sad news for the sport of football, Mr. Webb’s family and the Cayman Islands. There is naturally a great deal of interest in these matters and anything to do with those under investigation.

We can confirm that local law enforcement agencies are cooperating with international investigating authorities but it would not be appropriate for the Government of the Cayman Islands to pass comment on the on-going investigations in this jurisdiction or elsewhere. Those are matters for the relevant investigating authorities and, ultimately, the courts.

Justice requires that investigations into allegations of criminal offending, and any subsequent prosecutions, are conducted with scrupulous care. We are confident that justice will, in the end, be served.

We note that the Cayman Islands Football Association has now appointed Mr. Bruce Blake to act as President in the interim following CONCACAF’s provisional ban of Mr. Webb from carrying out any football related activities on a national or international level.

We are also satisfied that the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority is taking all appropriate action in respect of the stated involvement of Fidelity Bank and Trust in this matter and that the bank is also fully cooperating with the relevant authorities.

The Cayman Islands has a reputation for engagement and achievement of very robust global standards in relation to the regulation of domestic and cross border financial transactions. Our excellent ratings from assessments by the Global Forum and the FATF certainly demonstrate this.

The Government of the Cayman Islands takes a zero tolerance approach to anyone carrying out illicit activities through the Cayman Islands. We do not intend to compromise the hard work we have done over the past couple of decades and the good rating and reputation we have earned.

Finally, we have a long history of cooperating with global, and in particular, US authorities and there is no doubt that we have and will continue to fully assist in the investigation and ultimate conclusion of these matters.