The Argentine Football Association (AFA) is facing one of the most serious crises in the history of this organization.
According to an investigation by La Nacion newspaper, Chairman Claudio Tapia and a number of senior officials are suspected of being involved in a multi-year bribery, money laundering and corruption network.
Documents collected by the Argentine judicial authorities show that in the period 2020-2022, many amounts of cash were transferred to Tapia. The money was sent in boxes, envelopes or packages to the AFA headquarters on Viamonte Street or the Ezeiza training center.
A WhatsApp message dated September 24, 2021 is considered remarkable evidence. The message content reads: "Tapia asked me for 300,000 pesos. An envelope like this is placed in front of the AFA door". According to La Nacion, these messages are currently under investigation by the court.
In many cases, the money handover was organized quite directly. Another message showed cashier Pablo Toviggino announcing that he had to hand over 40,000 USD to Tapia and asking the intermediary to bring the money to the AFA training center before noon.
According to initial investigation results, at least seven payments in pesos and USD were recorded in the period 2020-2022. Money transfers are said to take place at various times, including July 2020, three times in 2021 and once in early 2022.
The investigating agency suspects that this money flow is related to the redirection of the national team's sponsorship. Money from sponsors such as Adidas or Coca-Cola is accused of being transferred through shell companies before returning to some AFA leaders through a fake invoice system.
The investigation also discovered the role of a number of intermediaries, including Juan Pablo Beacon. A search at a villa in Villa Rosa (Pilar area) led to the seizure of 45 luxury cars and many valuable assets.
A nearly 10-minute video is said to record Beacon counting 115.600 USD before sealing the money in a paper envelope. According to La Nacion, this video was filmed to avoid money losses within the group.
The case is still being further investigated and clarified by the Argentine judicial authorities. In the context that the CONMEBOL-UEFA Intercontinental Super Cup between Argentina and Spain is only a few weeks away, Tapia's future as AFA President is becoming a big question mark.
