Intro:

A senior executive with the official World Cup corporate hospitality provider was detained in Rio de Janeiro on Monday as part of a Brazilian police investigation into illegal ticket sales.

Script:

Ray Whelan, a director of Match Services, was arrested at the Copacabana Palace on Monday, the hotel used by senior FIFA officials during the World Cup.

In an emailed statement, police said Whelan was heard on wiretapped phone calls negotiating ticket prices with Algerian national Mohamadou Lamine Fofana, who they accuse of being the ringleader of the group selling tickets on the black market.

Police said they confiscated 82 tickets for upcoming matches, along with Whelan's computer, mobile phone and other unspecified documents.

Under Brazilian law the 64-year-old, may only be charged by prosecutors after they receive the complete police investigation, which officers have 30 days to complete.

Speaking to reporters at the police station where Whelan was being detained, investigator Fabio Barucke said that the penalty for such offences could be up to four years in prison.

He added that FIFA president Sepp Blatter's nephew could also be involved.

SOUNDBITE (Portuguese) Fabio Barucke, Brazilian police investigator:

"It's not official yet but we have information that Blatter's (FIFA President Sepp Blatter) nephew is a partner in MATCH, and this will be put in the police report."

Blatter's nephew, Philippe Blatter, is the president of Switzerland-based sports agency Infront, which is a shareholder in MATCH Hospitality.

MATCH Hospitality is the main provider of hospitality packages for the World Cup and paid $240 million for the exclusive rights to sell corporate hospitality at the 2010 and 2014 World Cups.

Investigators said Whelan was still being questioned inside a precinct on Monday night, and that he would spend the night in jail.