FIFA has suspended an employee following his arrest on suspicion of engaging in sexual activities with an underage boy during a work trip to Miami. The Miami Herald reported that 39-year-old Jack Edward Coles, a British national, was detained on Friday by federal agents from Homeland Security Investigations at a hotel near FIFA’s offices in the Coral Gables neighborhood.
Coles allegedly met a 14-year-old boy through a men’s dating app last October and reportedly attempted to meet the boy again last week. The boy initially told Coles he was 16 and later came into contact with federal investigators.
According to prison records on Thursday, Coles is currently being held at the Federal Detention Center in Miami. A FIFA statement, as seen by The Associated Press, addressed the situation: “FIFA is aware of ongoing legal proceedings in Miami. The alleged offenses are serious and of a personal matter with no link to his work at FIFA.”
The statement also confirmed Coles’ suspension: “The individual has been suspended with immediate effect and until further notice from all duties. FIFA has no further comment at this stage.”
Coles is a project leader with FIFA Sound, the division responsible for organizing music for FIFA’s events and broadcasts. FIFA established its U.S. base in Coral Gables in 2023 ahead of two major tournaments in the country, relocating its legal department from its Zurich headquarters.
