Life sentence for Congo football chief after embezzling Ksh142 million

On Tuesday, 10 March, a Brazzaville court sentenced former Congolese Football Federation president Jean-Guy Blaise Mayolas to life imprisonment for embezzling more than $1.1 million (Ksh142,230,000) in FIFA funds.

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The money, intended to support football development during the COVID-19 pandemic, including a $500,000 grant for women’s football and a technical centre, was diverted for personal use through money laundering, document forgery, and a network of fraudulent financial transactions.

Mayolas did not appear in court and was tried in absentia after reportedly leaving the country to evade the sentence.

His wife and son, Lionel Mayolas, were also sentenced to life imprisonment for their participation in the scheme.

Several senior officials in FECOFOOT were convicted alongside Mayolas. Secretary General Badji Mombo Wantete and Treasurer Raoul Kanda were each sentenced to five years in prison for complicity in money laundering, document forgery, and misappropriation of funds.

Prosecutors said nearly $1.3 million earmarked for grassroots football programs and administrative development had been diverted for personal use.

Investigators described the case as evidence of a deeply entrenched system of fraudulent financial management operating at the highest levels of the federation, with falsified records and complex transactions designed to conceal the irregularities.

The investigation lasted approximately eight months, during which prosecutors examined financial documents, banking transactions, and internal administrative procedures within FECOFOOT.

Authorities said the case is one of the most significant legal actions ever taken against football officials in the Republic of Congo.

The scandal led FIFA to suspend FECOFOOT after the Congolese government removed Mayolas from office in September 2024, citing third-party interference in the federation’s affairs.

During the suspension, the Republic of Congo forfeited two 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches.

The suspension was lifted in May 2025.

FIFA confirmed that it audits member federations to ensure that distributed funds are used for their intended purposes.

The misappropriated funds were originally meant to organise women’s competitions and improve football infrastructure, projects that were never implemented.