Trinidad Court Permanently Stays Jack Warner Extradition

Trinidad and Tobago’s High Court, in an oral ruling by Justice Karen Reid, permanently stayed extradition proceedings against former FIFA vice‑president Jack Warner, finding the U.S. request was handled through a flawed process and noting the absence or misrepresentation of a formal extradition agreement. Prosecutors conceded that a key 2015 supporting document was non‑existent or problematic, and the country’s attorney general has opened an internal probe into how the extradition was handled. Warner, in his 80s, had faced long‑running U.S. indictments alleging racketeering, fraud, illegal wire transfers and bribery dating from the 1990s through 2011, including an allegation he received $5 million linked to the 2018 World Cup vote. He was arrested on a provisional warrant, released on TT$2.5 million bail, and hailed the ruling as vindication after a decade‑long legal fight; two of his sons previously pleaded guilty in the U.S. and cooperated with prosecutors. U.S. authorities have not immediately responded to the ruling.