World Bulletin / News Desk 

The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland on Wednesday opened criminal proceedings against persons unknown over money laundering in connection with the allocation of the 2018 and 2022 football World Cups.

"In the course of proceedings, electronic data and documents were seized today at FIFA’s head office in Zurich," the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland (OAG) said in a statement Wednesday. "The files seized today and the collected bank documents will serve criminal proceedings both in Switzerland and abroad."

Earlier Wednesday, during an operation by the Swiss Federal Office of Justice (FOJ), six officials from world football governing body FIFA, were arrested by police in Switzerland on allegeations of having received bribes totaling more than $100 million.

According to Swiss media, two FIFA vice presidents Jeffrey Webb and Eugenio Figueredo were among the officials arrested today.

The arrest warrants were issued following a request by the U.S. authorities, the FOJ confirmed, adding that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the eastern district of New York had been investigating “bribes and kickbacks” from the early 1990s and onward.

"The bribery suspects – representatives of sports media and sports promotion firms – are alleged to have been involved in schemes to make payments to the soccer functionaries – delegates of FIFA and other functionaries of FIFA sub-organizations – totaling more than $100 million," the FOJ said.

"In return, it is believed that they received media, marketing, and sponsorship rights in connection with soccer tournaments in Latin America.”