US authorities are examining over $300 million in commercial agreements connected to the Argentina Football Association (AFA). This comes after a rumor circulated on social media, suggesting that the AFA president was detained by the FBI following Argentina’s loss in the FIFA World Cup Final on July 19.
The rumor claimed that Claudio ‘Chiqui’ Tapia, the AFA president, was detained and had his phone confiscated by the FBI due to allegations of money laundering involving hundreds of millions of dollars through US banks. Reports from social media and local media outlet Infobae suggested that US law enforcement intervened as Tapia was preparing to depart the US with members of the World Cup squad. A witness reportedly stated that federal agents questioned both Tapia and AFA treasurer Pablo Toviggino for approximately 30 minutes on a bus as the team prepared to board their flight.
However, the AFA has issued a denial, calling the claims baseless. While the association confirmed that neither its president nor its treasurer were ordered to provide evidence by US courts, it did acknowledge that a third party was summoned to appear before a US grand jury to potentially offer testimony concerning several individuals, including officials from the organization. The AFA emphasized that US authorities had not specifically targeted Tapia or Toviggino.
The investigation into AFA-linked commercial contracts is part of a broader examination of Argentine football finances, following raids conducted in December as part of a money-laundering probe. Bank records reportedly indicate that millions of dollars were processed through various US financial institutions, with some funds allegedly held in these accounts for short periods before being transferred.
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