Story highlights Swiss prosecutors open criminal proceedings against Franz BeckenbauerThree other ex-German football officials also focus of probeBeckenbauer had successful career with Bayern Munich and Germany(CNN) German football legend Franz Beckenbauer is to face a criminal investigation by Swiss prosecutors relating to Germany's successful bid to host the 2006 FIFA World Cup. In a statement released Thursday, the Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland revealed it had opened proceedings relating to fraud, criminal mismanagement, money laundering and misappropriation against Beckenbauer, who was president of Germany's 2006 World Cup organizing committee. Three former German Football Federation (DFB) officials are also being investigated. Theo Zwanziger, Wolfgang Niersbach are former DFB presidents and Horst Rudolf Schmidt is an ex-DFB secretary general. Germany narrowly pipped rival candidate South Africa to host the event by 12 votes to 11 in 2000.

Source: CNN September 01, 2016 21:00 UTC