FIFA has suspended an employee following his arrest on charges of enticement of a minor for sex while on a work trip in Miami.
According to the Miami Herald, Jack Edward Coles, 39, was taken into custody on Friday by federal agents from Homeland Security Investigations at a hotel near FIFA’s offices in Coral Gables.
Coles, a British national, is accused of meeting a 14-year-old boy through a dating app in October and attempting to meet him again last week. The boy, who initially claimed to be 16, later cooperated with federal investigators.
Prison records indicate that Coles is being held at the Federal Detention Center in Miami.
In response, FIFA issued a statement confirming his suspension. “FIFA is aware of ongoing legal proceedings in Miami. The alleged offenses are serious and of a personal nature with no link to his work at FIFA. The individual has been suspended with immediate effect and until further notice,” the statement read.
Coles serves as a project leader for FIFA Sound, the division responsible for music at FIFA events and broadcasts.
FIFA established its U.S. base in Coral Gables in 2023 in preparation for major upcoming tournaments, also relocating its legal department from Zurich.
