A FIFA-linked match promoter is being held in federal custody after authorities arrested him in Galveston when a cruise from Mexico returned to port. The arrest turned a Texas vacation stop into an international flight-risk case involving allegations of child sexual abuse material.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas, Ali Homoud Alnaimi, 42, entered the United States from Qatar and later returned from Mexico aboard a cruise ship. Federal authorities identify him as a match promoter with the FIFA national football organization and a representative of Qatar’s football team.
As reported by FOX 26 Houston, prosecutors said at a detention hearing last Wednesday that images recovered from Alnaimi’s phones allegedly showed the sexual exploitation of young boys, including children believed to be younger than 5. Prosecutors also argued that he posed a serious flight risk because he could return to Qatar, which does not have an extradition treaty with the United States.
Federal Judge Orders Alnaimi Held Pending Proceedings
The Justice Department said a federal judge ordered Alnaimi detained last Friday while the criminal case moves forward. Homeland Security Investigations led the investigation with assistance from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
The criminal complaint alleges Alnaimi traveled through multiple states, vacationed in Galveston and planned to leave the country for Qatar. Investigators allegedly found numerous videos depicting child sexual abuse material on his cellphone after the arrest, according to FOX 26 Houston.
Charge Carries Up To 20 Years In Federal Prison
Alnaimi faces one federal charge of transporting child pornography. If convicted, he could receive up to 20 years in federal prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
The allegations remain unproven in court. The criminal complaint is a formal accusation, and Alnaimi is presumed innocent unless prosecutors prove the charge beyond a reasonable doubt.
