Latest: Corruption and Money Laundering.
NATIONAL -- U.S. officials announced corruption charges against several senior officials with FIFA, the soccer world's governing body Wednesday.
"These individuals and organizations engaged in bribery to decide who would televise games; where the games would be held and who would run the organization overseeing organized soccer worldwide,” said Attorney General Loretta Lynch.
Authorities say more than a dozen officials were part of a 24 year-long scheme, that included well over $150 million in bribes and kickbacks to make money through the corruption of international soccer.
The president of Traffic Sports USA, which is a primary stakeholder in the Carolina Railhawks, is one of the FIFA Soccer Officials who were named Wednesday morning in a federal indictment.
Aaron Davidson is among 14 officials who are charged with racketeering, wire fraud and money laundering.
Four defendants, including another official of Traffic Sports USA have already plead guilty.
On Wednesday morning, Federal Agents began executing a search warrant at Traffic sports USA headquarters in Miami, Florida.
The case involves bribes totaling more than $100 million linked to commercial deals dating back to the 1990s for soccer tournaments in the United States and Latin America.
Attorney General Loretta Lynch says the Department of Justice will continue working to end this corruption.
"They were expected to uphold the rules that keep soccer honest, and protect the integrity of the game. Instead, they corrupted the business of worldwide soccer to serve their interests and enrich themselves. This Department of Justice is determined to end these practices; to root out corruption and to bring wrongdoers to justice," she said.
It's not known at this time what kind of impact this will have on the Railhawks, but fans said they were shocked to hear how close the scandal hits to North Carolina.
"I think what was so surprising was how close to
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