FBI probes Argentine FA over alleged money laundering during World Cup 2026

A probe into AFA's American financial dealings surfaces as Argentina chases another World Cup title, with Florida-based company TourProdEnter LLC at the centre of the inquiry.

U.S. federal authorities have opened a preliminary investigation into the financial operations of the Argentine Football Association (AFA) within the United States, examining whether hundreds of millions of dollars moved through the American banking system in violation of federal law.

According to a report by Argentine newspaper La Nación, agents from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and federal prosecutors have begun collecting testimony from witnesses familiar with how the AFA, led by president Claudio "Chiqui" Tapia, manages its finances in the U.S. Investigators are seeking to establish how the funds were channelled through American banks and whether any transactions breached U.S. law on fraud or money laundering.

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Key Witness Gave Three-Hour Testimony

Among those who have already spoken to investigators is Argentine businessman Guillermo Tofoni, who reportedly provided a three-hour virtual testimony to a federal prosecutor and FBI agents involved in the case, which spans jurisdictions in Washington, D.C., and Miami.

The inquiry is focused on the financial conduct of Tapia and AFA treasurer Pablo Toviggino, alongside TourProdEnter LLC, a Florida-registered company owned by producer Javier Faroni that has handled the collection of the federation's commercial and sponsorship contracts abroad. Faroni and his wife, Erica Gillette, are also under scrutiny, with reports indicating the couple carried out financial transactions worth hundreds of millions of dollars through accounts at several U.S. banks, including Citibank, Bank of America, JPMorgan, and PNC.

Documents reviewed by La Nación reportedly show that TourProdEnter LLC managed at least $260 million in revenue generated by the AFA, but only part of that sum can be tied to identifiable operating expenses of the federation. A further $57 million is said to have been distributed to various companies and beneficiaries without clear economic justification in the records examined, according to the newspaper. Some of those payments are also alleged to involve companies linked to Toviggino and members of his family.

Investigation Traces Back to 2025

La Nación reports that preliminary investigative work began in 2025 and that U.S. Department of Justice officials are considering summoning former officials from President Javier Milei's government who had knowledge of, or oversight responsibilities related to, the AFA's financial operations in recent years.

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The U.S. probe follows a separate domestic investigation in Argentina, where federal police carried out more than 30 simultaneous raids in December 2025 at AFA headquarters, national training facilities, and 17 professional football clubs, including Racing Club and San Lorenzo. That investigation, triggered by Argentina's tax and customs agency, centers on alleged money laundering tied to a private financial firm, Sur Finanzas. Separately, Tapia and Toviggino were formally charged in Argentina in a $13 million tax evasion case, which resulted in frozen assets and brief travel restrictions late last year.

AFA Denies Wcentresng

The AFA has strongly denied all allegations of financial fraud and money laundering, previously dismissing findings from the domestic investigation as biased and unsubstantiated. La Nación said the U.S. Department of Justice had not responded to a request for comment on the status of the investigation before publication, and noted that the AFA has stressed the importance of the presumption of innocence. Neither AFA nor TourProdEnter LLC has issued a public response to the latest reporpublication andnot publicly commented, and no formal charges have been announced in the U.S. case.

Timing Raises Questions During World Cup Run

The reports emerge as Argentina, the defending champions, continue their campaign at the 2026 FIFA World Cup being hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The timing has drawn added attention given Argentina's contentious 3-2 win over Egypt in the Round of 16, a match that was criticized over several refereeing decisions. Tapia, who has overseen one of the most successful periods in Argentine football history, including the country's 2022 andcriticisedd Cup campaigns, has also been engaged in an ongoing dispute with President Milei's government over the ownership structure of Argentine football clubs.

At this stage, the investigation remains preliminary, and the allegations have not affected Argentina's participation in the tournament, where the team remains among the favourites to lift the trophy.