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A British FIFA official, Jack Edward Coles, aged 39, has been arrested during a work trip in the United States.
He is accused of arranging to meet a 14-year-old boy for sex, according to reports.
Coles was reportedly detained by federal agents at a hotel near FIFA's offices in Miami after attempting to meet the child last week.
FIFA confirmed that it is aware of the case but stressed that the allegations are a 'personal matter' unrelated to Coles' role as a project lead at FIFA Sound. The governing body also confirmed that Coles has been suspended with immediate effect.
According to The Miami Herald, Coles, who works at FIFA's headquarters in Zurich, Switzerland, allegedly met the boy on the dating app Grindr in October last year and engaged in sexual activity with him at a hotel.
The report cites the arrest complaint, which states that Coles did not know the boy was 14; the teen had told him he was 16 years old during their initial chats.
In a statement, FIFA said:
FIFA is aware of ongoing legal proceedings in Miami. The alleged offences are serious and of a personal matter with no link to his work at FIFA. The individual has been suspended with immediate effect and until further notice from all duties. FIFA has no further comment at this stage.
The Herald reports that Coles first contacted the teenager via Instagram on October 10 and asked him to visit him at the Hyatt Regency in Coral Gables. Coles reportedly told the boy, 'I don't want to break any laws,' after being told he was 16.
However, according to the complaint, Coles later ordered an Uber to bring the boy to his hotel, bought him a White Claw alcoholic beverage, and engaged in sexual activity with him.
Federal agents monitor
Coles allegedly expressed his desire to see the boy again after the encounter. The FIFA official was arrested last week after arranging to meet the boy again, unaware that he was being monitored by federal agents.
The report says that Homeland Security agents controlled the teenager's Instagram account when Coles messaged the boy on February 2, saying:
I'm back Wednesday to Saturday So I see u.
Coles was arrested when a federal agent appeared from the Uber, he had arranged to pick up the boy. According to the complaint, he was 'naked, except for a shirt' at the time.
He has been charged with enticement of a minor to engage in sexual activities and travelling to the US with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor.
Coles was reportedly held at the Federal Detention Centre in Miami but has since been released, according to The Sun.