Argentina’s Football Association Reacts to Allegations
The Argentine Football Association (AFA) has firmly rejected claims that its president, Claudio Tapia, along with treasurer Pablo Toviggino, were ordered to testify by United States courts. On Wednesday, the AFA categorized these assertions as “completely untrue.” However, the association did confirm that an unidentified third party has been summoned to present evidence before a grand jury concerning several individuals connected to the organization.
FBI Involvement and Financial Investigations
Reports surfaced indicating that FBI agents detained Tapia and Toviggino at New York’s JFK Airport on the morning following the Argentina national team’s return from the World Cup final. It has been stated that their devices were requested by officials as the team prepared to embark on a charter flight. According to Infobae, U.S. authorities are probing over $300 million linked to AFA’s commercial contracts amidst a broader investigation into Argentine football finances, triggered by raids last December related to money laundering.
Details from the Airport Encounter
A witness at the airport disclosed that federal agents interrogated both Tapia and Toviggino for approximately thirty minutes while they were situated on a bus parked on the tarmac. Despite these developments, the AFA clarified that neither Tapia nor Toviggino had been directly targeted by U.S. authorities, nor had their personal devices been seized.
AFA’s Official Statement
In an official statement, the AFA emphasized, “It is absolutely false to claim that Claudio Tapia or Pablo Toviggino have been summoned to testify by the United States justice system. It is also false to assert that their cell phones or any other electronic devices have been confiscated.” The AFA underlined that the document referenced does not impose any legal obligations or restrictions on the president or treasurer, nor does it indicate any seizure of their property.
