The president of the Argentine Football Association was detained in the U.S. — The Sun
Claudio Tapia, president of the Argentine Football Association (AFA), and other members of the delegation were detained before their departure from the U.S. following the 2026 World Cup. Their electronic devices were seized for examination as part of an investigation into a $300 million scheme.
FBI agents took Tapia’s phone just minutes before he was scheduled to board a flight from New York to Buenos Aires. The AFA president was at John F. Kennedy International Airport with several members of the Argentine national team when law enforcement officials approached him.
It is reported that Tapia was asked to hand over all electronic devices, and the phones and computers of other members of the Argentine delegation were also seized. As a result, the flight, which was scheduled to depart at 6:00 a.m., was delayed and departed at approximately 8:15 a.m.
The AFA later denied reports of a covert operation.
“This is categorically untrue. None of the incidents described took place,” the association said in a statement.
Reportedly, the law enforcement actions are linked to an investigation by the FBI and the U.S. Department of Justice into possible money laundering, bank fraud, and tax evasion through the U.S. financial system. The case involves AFA’s international commercial contracts totaling more than $300 million.
At the center of the investigation is TourProdEnter LLC, a company registered in Miami and linked to Argentine theater producer Javier Faroni. The company handled AFA’s commercial rights outside Argentina, including sponsorship contracts, television rights, and event organization.
According to the investigation, more than $260 million in revenue related to AFA contracts passed through U.S. banks. Investigators are also examining transfers totaling at least $57 million from TourProdEnter’s accounts to third parties and companies without any apparent commercial justification.
Prosecutors are trying to determine exactly where the funds were directed, who received them, and whether U.S. laws were violated during these financial transactions.
This was reported by The Sun.
Earlier, an Argentine lawmaker stated that the national team is being criticized for the lack of Black players.
As a reminder, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) classified the World Cup semifinal match between England and Argentina as a high-risk game.
Argentina could face penalties following its celebration of the victory over England.
