The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and U.S. federal prosecutors have launched a preliminary investigation into the Argentine Football Association (AFA) over suspected financial crimes linked to the organization’s commercial operations in the United States.
Investigators are examining allegations of money laundering, wire fraud and tax evasion as they trace the movement of hundreds of millions of dollars through the U.S. banking system.
According to reports first published by Argentine newspaper La Nación, federal prosecutors based in Washington, D.C., and Miami have begun reviewing financial transactions connected to the AFA’s international commercial business. The investigation focuses on funds generated through sponsorship agreements, licensing arrangements and other third-party commercial contracts managed during the leadership of AFA president Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia.
Authorities are reportedly scrutinizing between $300 million and $400 million that moved through five different U.S. banks over several years.
Among the transactions attracting the greatest attention is a series of transfers worth approximately $70 million that investigators reportedly believe lacked a clearly identifiable business purpose. Prosecutors are seeking to determine whether the payments complied with U.S. financial regulations or whether they may have been used to conceal illicit financial activity.
At the centre of the inquiry is TourProdEnter LLC, a Florida-based company owned by theatrical producer Javier Faroni and his wife, Erica Gillette.
According to the reports, investigators believe the company played a significant role in receiving and administering international sponsorship revenues on behalf of the Argentine Football Association. The company allegedly collected payments from global commercial partners before distributing the funds under various contractual arrangements.
Among the international brands reportedly linked to the commercial agreements under review are sportswear giant Adidas and entertainment company Warner.
Federal investigators are now working to establish whether all financial transfers were properly documented, whether taxes were correctly declared and whether the movement of funds complied with U.S. anti-money laundering regulations.
The investigation remains in its early stages, with authorities gathering financial records and interviewing individuals connected to the case. No criminal charges have been filed against the Argentine Football Association, its officials or any of the companies named in the reports.
Officials familiar with the inquiry have described it as a preliminary fact-finding investigation designed to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to pursue a formal criminal case.
As part of the process, the FBI has reportedly begun collecting witness testimony while prosecutors review banking documents and commercial agreements connected to the federation’s U.S.-based operations.
Tomás Regalado, the AFA’s North America ambassador, has sought to downplay concerns surrounding the investigation, noting that reviews of banking compliance are common when authorities examine large international financial transactions.
He stressed that the existence of an FBI investigation does not imply guilt and should not be interpreted as evidence of criminal wrongdoing.