Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and federal prosecutors of the United States begin to take testimonials about financial operations of the Argentine Football Association (AFA) in that country, reported the Argentine newspaper The Nation.
According to the Argentine press, the investigation began in 2025, led by two prosecutors in Washington and another in Floridawhich seek to understand how the AFA operated in the United States and whether its operations constitute a crime.
In particular, the mechanism of collection of contracts for hundreds of millions of dollars with sponsors and other companies through the company TourProdEnter LLC. According to The Nationthe US Justice Department is investigating whether their activities qualify as money laundering or even fraud through the US banking system.
As part of the investigation, investigators recently held a meeting with businessman Guillermo Tofoni, who has denounced the AFA for corruptionand they are also analyzing calling former officials of the Government of President Javier Milei, who maintains an open conflict with the governing body of Argentine soccer.
According to queries made by The Nationthe businessman preferred not to confirm or deny the meeting.
The Argentine newspaper pointed out that the company supposedly investigated managed at least US$260 million corresponding to AFA income, although only a part of these funds can be linked to the sports institution.
Another US$57 million was apparently distributed among different companies and beneficiaries.
The Nation assured that payments appear directed to Pablo Toviggino, treasurer of the AFA, and his family, as well as to the leader’s partner and members of the family of a supposed “spiritual guide” of the Argentina team.
In September 2024, the Ministry of Security, then headed by Patricia Bullrich, transmitted information to US officials about possible sources of risk linked to AFA.
At that time, FBI agents concluded that the conflict between a businessman, the president of the AFA and the institution It did not present sufficient elements to justify the opening of an investigation in the United States.
The Nation maintains that the aforementioned company operated as a collection vehicle for AFA international contracts for at least US$100 million during the years in which Argentina maintained strong exchange restrictions.
The tension between the Government of Argentina and the AFA has been going on for more than a year and was triggered by Milei’s intention to move forward with a model of sports corporations in the country’s football, a proposal that was flatly rejected by both the AFA and the majority of the clubs.
The AFA is also investigated by the Argentine Justice, where a court of appeal confirmed on June 26 the prosecution of both the organization and its president, Claudio Tapia, and its treasurer, Pablo Toviggino, in a case in which the organization and its directors are being investigated for tax fraud.
The indictments had been issued on March 30 by the improper withholding of contributions and social security contributions for more than 19,000 million pesos (around US$13 million).
With the ratification of the prosecution dictated by the Economic Criminal Chamber, the case took another step towards an eventual oral trial.
Tapia is currently in the United States for the 2026 World Cup, a trip for which required judicial authorization.
The investigation began after a complaint from the General Tax Directorate (DGI), dependent on the Customs Collection and Control Agency (ARCA).
In March, the AFA claimed in a statement to have presented “all the sworn statements, reporting in them all tax obligations and the amounts withheld that, in no case, refer to the contributions of the staff in a dependency relationship.”