United States federal prosecutors and agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have launched a preliminary investigation into the financial operations of the Argentine Football Association (AFA) over allegations of money laundering and fraud.
According to Argentine newspaper La Nacion, investigators from the U.S. Department of Justice are examining whether transactions linked to the AFA violated American financial laws as the 2026 FIFA World Cup continues.
The report said prosecutors have begun interviewing individuals with knowledge of the AFA’s financial activities in the United States to determine how the football body allegedly channelled hundreds of millions of dollars through the U.S. financial system.
The investigation reportedly focuses on the tenure of AFA President Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia and seeks to establish whether any financial transactions breached U.S. anti-money laundering or fraud regulations.
Businessman Guillermo Tofoni is among those said to have been questioned by federal prosecutors and FBI agents during a three-hour virtual interview conducted by investigators based in Washington, D.C., and Miami.
Although Tofoni declined to confirm or deny the meeting, La Nacion reported that investigators are seeking testimony from individuals familiar with the AFA’s commercial operations and its relationship with TourProdEnter LLC, a company owned by theatre producer Javier Faroni, which reportedly managed payments from the association’s international commercial agreements.
The report added that U.S. authorities are also considering interviewing former Argentine government officials who may possess information about the football body’s financial activities.
According to La Nacion, the preliminary inquiry began in 2025 and is being led by federal prosecutors Patrick Gushue and Christopher Ting in Washington, D.C., alongside Michael Berger of the Southern District of Florida.
The newspaper alleged that TourProdEnter LLC managed at least $260 million in AFA-related revenue, while another $57 million was reportedly distributed to various companies and beneficiaries without clear economic justification based on documents reviewed by the publication.
The report further claimed that some payments were made to companies linked to AFA executive Pablo Toviggino and members of his family.
Neither the U.S. Department of Justice nor the FBI has officially commented on the reported investigation. The AFA has also not responded directly to the allegations but has emphasised the principle of presumption of innocence.
