FBI Investigates corruption within Argentina Football Federation

The United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has stepped in to investigate allegations of financial irregularities, money laundering, and corruption within the Argentine Football Federation (AFA). Investigators and prosecutors have received complaints of corruption regarding the financial activities conducted on U.S. soil by the entity's president, Claudio Tapia. AFA's commercial interests in the United States are managed by a company called Tourprod Enter LLC, which is run by Javier Faroni and his wife, Erica Gillet. The FBI is investigating allegations that they laundered USD 260 million through five banks, along with an additional USD 57 million transferred through various other entities. This also includes contracts with major brands like Adidas and the Warner Group, routed through Tourprod Enter LLC.

According to banking documents obtained by Argentine media outlet La Nación, the company transacted at least USD 260 million through accounts opened in five major U.S. financial institutions—Citibank, Synovus, Bank of America, JPMorgan, and PNC Bank. However, only a portion of this vast sum could be directly linked to the company's visible operating expenses. Meanwhile, nearly USD 57 million was transferred to certain companies whose origins and destinations remain under investigation by the authorities. This preliminary investigation, which began taking shape in 2025, is being handled by at least three U.S. federal prosecutors specializing in financial crime. They are Patrick Gushue and Christopher Ting from Washington D.C., and Michael Berger from the Southern District of Florida.

One of the biggest breakthroughs in this investigation was the testimony given by businessman Guillermo Tofoni. Tofoni was essentially the first to bring forward complaints against AFA's financial structure in the United States. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Justice is also considering summoning former officials of Argentine President Javier Milei's government regarding this matter.

As the investigation was gaining momentum, Tapia was staying in the United States, closely monitoring the national team's activities during the tournament. He is in the U.S. with permission from an Argentine court, related to an ongoing case in his home country regarding allegations of illegally withholding pension funds and tax money. For this, he had to deposit a substantial amount of bail or bond in an Argentine court.