FBI Probes Argentina Football Federation Over Money Laundering
The FBI and US federal prosecutors have opened a probe into the Argentine Football Association (AFA) over alleged fraud and money laundering, examining how AFA president Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia’s organization moved over 260 million dollars through the American banking system.
What is the FBI investigating at the AFA?
US Department of Justice prosecutors and FBI agents from Washington, D.C., and Miami are examining how AFA, led by Tapia and vice president Pablo Toviggino, routed commercial contract revenue through US banks. Investigators want to know whether any transactions violated US law, including wire fraud, tax evasion, and money laundering statutes.
Central to the case is TourProdEnter LLC, a Florida-based company owned by producer Javier Faroni and his wife Erica Gillette, which collected AFA’s commercial contract payments abroad. The case has been nicknamed “AFAGate” in Spanish-language media.
How much money is under scrutiny?
According to documents reviewed by La Nación, Faroni’s company managed at least 260 million dollars in AFA revenue across accounts at five major US banks.
Some transfers reportedly went to companies with no identifiable services, controlled by individuals who received social welfare benefits and lived in Bariloche or Buenos Aires.
Who has testified so far?
Businessman Guillermo Tofoni gave a three-hour videoconference deposition to FBI agents and federal prosecutors, marking one of the first known testimonies in the case. Investigators are also reportedly considering interviews with former officials from President Javier Milei’s administration who had oversight of AFA’s US operations.
Is this linked to the earlier Argentina raids?
Yes, this US probe follows a separate Argentine domestic investigation. In December 2025, federal police raided AFA headquarters and more than 30 clubs, including Racing, San Lorenzo, and Independiente, over alleged money laundering tied to the financial firm Sur Finanzas. That case, ordered by Federal Judge Luis Armella, centered on irregularities in Sur Finanzas’ sponsorship deal with Club Atlético Banfield.
How has AFA responded?
As of the latest reporting, neither the AFA nor Tapia has issued an official statement addressing the FBI investigation. The case remains in a preliminary fact-finding stage, with no formal criminal charges filed against the organization or its officials.
What comes next?
Prosecutors are expected to continue gathering witness testimony as they build a picture of AFA’s US financial dealings, with the investigation reportedly gaining momentum during the 2026 Club World Cup period. Any formal charges would mark a significant escalation for an organization still basking in Argentina’s recent World Cup success under Lionel Messi.
For more on the domestic side of this saga, see our coverage of the December 2025 AFA and club raids and the ongoing Sur Finanzas money laundering case.
