Former President of the Football Association of Maldives (FAM), Bassam Adil Jaleel, has been found guilty of embezzlement and sentenced to four years in prison by the Criminal Court.

Bassam was initially charged with embezzlement and money laundering on 1 February 2019. The Prosecutor General's Office revealed that USD 10,000, provided by FIFA, was deposited into a Bank of Ceylon account in July and August 2018. Records show that USD 9,999 was transferred to Bassam’s personal account after bank charges.

The prosecution stated that while the bank documents indicated the deposit as a “sale of dollars,” the funds were intended for FAM. During his tenure as President, Bassam allegedly used the money for personal purposes. Judge Ismail Shafeeu confirmed that the money was deposited into Bassam’s account and was not an official allowance.

Bassam’s lawyer argued that there was no evidence to suggest the money was obtained through criminal activity and denied any wrongdoing.

Additional charges of money laundering and bribery were filed against Bassam on 22 December 2019, though court hearings for these cases have not yet commenced.

The charges relate to the embezzlement of funds provided to FAM during Bassam’s presidency, including foreign funds intended for association officials, associates, and companies. Ameen Construction was also implicated in money laundering after transferring MVR 23 million for the purchase of two apartments.