Port of Spain, Trinidad – Former FIFA vice president and Concacaf president Jack Warner has successfully avoided extradition to the United States after a decade-long legal battle tied to the 2015 FIFAgate scandal. On September 24, 2025, Trinidad and Tobago High Court Justice Karen Reid ruled that Warner’s constitutional rights were breached, declaring the extradition proceedings flawed.
Warner, 84, faced 29 charges from the U.S. Justice Department, including wire fraud, racketeering, money laundering, and bribery, as part of a broader probe that indicted 47 FIFA officials and sports marketers. The ruling hinged on a disputed 2015 agreement between former Trinidad and Tobago Attorney General Faris Al-Rawi and the U.S. Justice Department, allegedly outlining Warner’s charges. However, no copy of this agreement could be located, raising questions about its existence.
State counsel Robert Strang conceded that Warner’s legal team, led by Fyard Hosein, raised valid concerns about the agreement’s legitimacy. The court dismissed the extradition order but ordered further hearings to investigate whether the agreement was fabricated.
Speaking to the Trinidad Express, Warner expressed relief: “For ten years, this has consumed my life. Now I want to regain whatever is left of it.” While the ruling halts extradition, it does not clear Warner of the charges, which allege he amassed over $20 million illicitly. Though free in Trinidad, he remains a wanted man in the U.S. and is unlikely to travel abroad.
For St. Kitts and Nevis residents, this case underscores ongoing concerns about accountability in global sports governance, highlighting the challenges of prosecuting high-profile figures across jurisdictions.