Argentina Football Association (AFA) President Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia was questioned by U.S. authorities last night at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York as Argentina’s World Cup campaign ended, amid an investigation into the association’s financial affairs.
According to Argentine outlet Infobae, Tapia was stopped just before boarding a charter flight to Buenos Aires with members of the Argentina squad and other officials. Electronic devices belonging to Tapia and others in the delegation were seized during the operation, the report said.
The developments have attracted huge attention because US authorities are reportedly investigating more than $300 million in commercial contracts linked to the AFA. Money linked to sponsorship and other commercial arrangements will be examined by US financial institutions in a way that could be a case of fraud or money laundering, the report said.
But the AFA has vehemently denied some of the claims about the incident. The association said that reports that Tapia and AFA treasurer Pablo Toviggino had been summoned by US courts were “completely untrue.” It also denied that either official had been targeted by a court order or had their devices seized.
The AFA acknowledged a third party had been called to appear before a US grand jury and could be asked to provide information or documents related to a number of individuals including the football association. The organisation did not identify that third party.
The differing accounts have led to confusion over what exactly happened at the airport, Infobae reported. US federal agents questioned Tapia, and court documents involved several people connected to the probe, it said. In other reports, according to the AFA’s response, senior officials in the association did not get the reported court summons themselves.
The reported investigation comes amid increasing scrutiny of the AFA’s finances. In April, US authorities are investigating the movement of hundreds of millions of dollars through American banks and companies linked to commercial agreements involving the Argentine football club, the New York Times reported earlier.
The investigation is also examining financial transactions in which funds were moved through US accounts before being transferred elsewhere. The authorities would assess if any transactions broke US financial laws, he said.
The reports have fuelled further controversy around the AFA at a time when the Argentine national team has been feted worldwide. Tapia has been one of the most influential figures in Argentine football in the last few years of national success.
At present, no official US agency has publicly confirmed that Tapia was detained or accused of a crime. The FBI has not publicly commented on the reports, while the AFA has rejected claims that its president and treasurer were formally summoned or had their electronic devices seized.
The main questions that will come up in the investigation will be whether the financial transactions that have been reported violated US law and whether any AFA officials will be required to testify or provide any documents. The allegations are still under investigation and the AFA is denying significant details in the reports.
