Loria is the founder of IDEAS Network which is creating an internet platform “The Crystal House” to increase transparency in government affairs. Eugenio Figueredo, from Uruguay, one of the FIFA Vice Presidents also detained, had been accused and suspected before. Uruguay, like Costa Rica, is also regarded as a regional “Switzerland.” FIFA’s president and headquarters are Swiss, so the comparison is not totally unfounded. The battle against cronyism and corruption continues, this time in world soccer. No sector seems immune. Who knows what comes next, but please, counter it with transparency, not more regulations. The Danger Presented By The Federal Indictments Of Dennis Hastert And FIFA. As is well known now, former House Speaker Dennis Hastert was indicted Thursday on charges related to large bank withdrawals that caught the attention of federal officials. The Wall Street Journal reported that Hastert withdrew the money in order to pay a man “who said he had sexual contact with Mr. Hastert decades ago.” It’s presumed Hastert offered up the millions as a way of ensuring that the information possessed by the individual would not reach the public. What should be said up front is that if Hastert’s alleged actions involved a minor, he deserves to have the proverbial legal book thrown at him to the extent that it’s possible. At the same time, the nature of the federal government’s initial investigation of Hastert begs for much greater Discountfifacoins scrutiny. But first, what about the supposed blackmail of Hastert? Though it carries bad connotations, and would be almost moot if the worst turns out to be true, blackmail is arguably not as bad in practice as the word itself sounds. One person has potentially compromising information about another person, and the two sides agree to a deal that keeps the information private. Figure individuals and companies regularly pay enormous sums to influential publicists and public relations firms with an eye on making sure unfortunate information doesn’t make it in into the news. Publicists similarly strive mightily to ensure positive reporting about their clients. Are these clients all angels? Certainly not. What’s certain is that there’s a lucrative market for information, both good and bad. Publicists and PR firms are paid very well to manage the flow of this information. So while it’s possible Hastert acted to control the flow of truly despicable information about himself, what’s worrisome is how the indictment came about that exposed some potentially awful wrongdoings. Thanks to federal laws that require banks to report all withdrawals greater than $10,000, an apparent attempt by Hastert to save his reputation in exchange for $3.5 million was made public by the federal government. To be very clear, the feds were not tracking Hastert’s withdrawals in order to unearth alleged sexual misconduct.