FBI investigates AFA finances in U.S. over alleged laundering during World Cup

Federal prosecutors and FBI agents have launched an investigation into the financial dealings of the Argentine Football Association (AFA), currently headed by Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia. U.S. authorities are scrutinizing a complex network of accounts and suspicious transfers amounting to over $260 million, as revealed by an investigation from Argentina's La Nación newspaper.

The U.S. Department of Justice is working to uncover how the AFA channeled hundreds of millions of dollars through its banking system and whether these operations constitute serious offenses such as fraud or money laundering within their jurisdiction. Key testimony has been gathered from businessman Guillermo Tofoni, who filed a complaint against Tapia and Pablo Toviggino for alleged fraud. Tofoni provided over three hours of testimony via videoconference to FBI agents based in Washington D.C. and Miami.

Investigators are seeking witnesses with direct knowledge of the AFA's financial management under Tapia and his associate, Pablo Toviggino. U.S. authorities are also considering summoning former officials from the Javier Milei administration who had access to sensitive information or oversaw the sports entity's operations in recent years. The preliminary investigation, which began in 2025, is led by a team of three prominent financial crime prosecutors.

The central focus of the U.S. authorities is on the accounts of TourProdEnter LLC, a Florida-based company managed by theatrical producer and former legislator Javier Faroni and his wife, Erica Gillette. This firm acted as the exclusive collection agent for AFA's international contracts with multinational corporations like Adidas and Warner, handling at least $260 million according to detected banking records from institutions including Citibank, Bank of America, and JP Morgan.