The Argentine Football Association (AFA) is under preliminary investigation by United States federal prosecutors and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) over allegations of money laundering and fraud linked to its financial operations in the country.
According to Argentine newspaper La Nacion, investigators from the US Department of Justice have begun interviewing individuals with knowledge of the AFA’s commercial activities in the United States as the 2026 FIFA World Cup continues.
The investigation is seeking to establish whether financial transactions involving the federation, led by Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia, violated US laws after hundreds of millions of dollars reportedly passed through the American banking system.
One of the individuals said to have been interviewed is businessman Guillermo Tofoni, who allegedly spent around three hours in a virtual meeting with federal prosecutors and FBI agents based in Washington, D.C., and Miami.
Although Tofoni declined to confirm or deny the meeting when contacted by La Nacion, the newspaper reported that investigators are gathering testimony from people familiar with the AFA’s commercial structure during Tapia’s administration.
Part of the inquiry reportedly centres on TourProdEnter LLC, a company owned by theatre producer Javier Faroni, which allegedly managed payments tied to the AFA’s international commercial contracts.
The report claims US authorities are examining how the organisation handled at least $260 million in revenue generated abroad.
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According to La Nacion, bank records reviewed during the investigation indicate that only part of that revenue can be directly connected to identifiable operating expenses, while a further $57 million was allegedly distributed among companies and beneficiaries whose commercial justification remains unclear.
Investigators are also reportedly examining payments allegedly made to companies connected to AFA executive Pablo Toviggino and members of his family.
The newspaper added that US authorities are considering interviewing former Argentine government officials who may possess information relating to the federation’s financial operations.
The preliminary investigation reportedly began taking shape in 2025 and is being led by federal prosecutors Patrick Gushue and Christopher Ting in Washington, D.C., alongside Michael Berger in the Southern District of Florida.
Neither the US Department of Justice nor the FBI has publicly commented on the reported investigation.
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The AFA has also not issued a detailed response, although the organization has previously stressed the importance of the presumption of innocence while any investigation remains ongoing.
