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Canover Watson, a former member of FIFA’s Audit and Compliance Committee, has been sentenced to seven years in prison after being found guilty of fraud during his time in charge of his native Cayman Islands' Health Services Authority (HSA).

A statement from the Cayman Islands’ Anti-Corruption Commission, which had led the investigation, said the 45-year-old was found guilty of two counts of conspiracy to defraud, fraud on the Government, conflict of interest and breach of trust by a public official.

The charges were not football-related, but the verdict against an official who served on the Committee which monitors financial transactions in and out of FIFA marks another significant blow to the image of world football’s governing body.

"You behaved shamelessly falsifying presentations, letters, emails, contracts and signatures, you fooled a number of senior civil servants and possibly a minister," Justice Michael Mettyear told Watson during sentencing.

Watson's senior defence counsel, Trevor Burke QC, said his client had been "ruined".

"It will leave him penniless," Burke was reported as arguing.

"His prospects of employment once he's released from custody…[will be] very difficult."

Watson, who was found not guilty of a money-laundering charge, was suspended from the Audit and Compliance Committee in September 2014 awaiting the outcome of the case.

He had also been treasurer of the Cayman Islands Football Association and was a vice-president of the Caribbean Football Union.

Jeffrey Webb, former President of the Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF), has also been charged in the case but has yet to face trial.

Webb is currently in the United States having pleaded guilty to racketeering, wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering as part of the US Department of Justice's investigation into FIFA which has seen 41 individuals and entities indicted so far.

Earlier this month, FIFA blocked a reported $20 million (£14 million/€18.5 million) in funding to CONCACAF and the South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) in a move which could lead to future cash flow problems for the two scandal-hit organisations.

Reuters quoted a source close to CONCACAF as saying it had not received $10 million (£7 million/€9 million) in payments from FIFA, including funds from the world governing body’s Financial Assistance Programme and expected World Cup revenues.

The last three Presidents of CONCACAF - Trinidad and Tobago's Jack Warner, Webb and Honduras' Alfred Hawit - have all been indicted by the US Department of Justice and are facing charges.

In a bid to clean up its act, the organisation revealed last month it will consider a wide-ranging reform package when it holds an Extraordinary Congress in Zurich on February 25.

Plans include replacing its Executive Committee with a Council of up to 15 members, three of whom will be independent, as well as a 12-year term limit for Council members and members of independent committees.

All senior officials will have to be independently checked for eligibility when applying for positions.

Source