US authorities download data from former AFA executive's devices amid $40 million probe

U.S. justice officials have successfully downloaded and are now examining the contents of a phone and computer belonging to Leandro Petersen, a former executive who played a key role in the commercial strategy of Argentina's Football Association (AFA). Petersen's devices are central to an ongoing U.S. investigation into approximately $40 million allegedly siphoned from sponsorship contracts intended for the Argentine national team.

Petersen, who served as AFA's Commercial and Marketing Director from 2017, recently announced his departure from the organization. His resignation coincides with a widening probe by Florida prosecutors into a complex financial network. This network reportedly includes companies based in the United States and Spain, intermediary firms, cryptocurrency platforms, and various financial transactions that are currently under intense scrutiny by the FBI and federal prosecutors in Miami and Washington.

While Petersen has not publicly disclosed the specific reasons for his resignation, he indicated at an event in Ezeiza that the decision had been discussed with AFA President Claudio "Chiqui" Tapia even before the 2026 World Cup. Petersen, who holds a degree in Commercialization and specializes in sports marketing, built a significant portion of his career within Argentine football before joining the AFA.

Prior to his role at the AFA, he held commercial and marketing positions at clubs like Vélez and Rosario Central, where he developed a close working relationship with Gonzalo Belloso. Upon joining the AFA in 2017, Petersen spearheaded the international expansion of the brand, securing numerous sponsorship deals and commercial agreements across diverse markets.

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The decision had already been discussed with Tapia even before the World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.