Written by Lucila Sigal and Maria Tsvetkova
Event Context
The AFA confirmed that a third party has been called to testify before a U.S. grand jury and may provide evidence regarding several individuals, including officials from the organization. Reports from local media indicated that FBI agents detained Tapia and Toviggino at JFK Airport in New York on Monday morning, right before they were set to board a charter flight with the Argentina team following the World Cup final. The agents requested Tapia’s electronic devices during this encounter. According to Infobae, U.S. authorities are probing over $300 million in commercial contracts tied to the AFA, amid broader investigations into the finances of Argentine football that surfaced following raids conducted in December related to a money-laundering case. The association issued a statement claiming, ‘It is entirely false to assert that Claudio Tapia or Pablo Toviggino have been asked to testify by U.S. authorities. Additionally, it is not true that their cell phones or electronic devices have been confiscated.’
Team Analysis
BUENOS AIRES/NEW YORK – On Wednesday, Argentina’s football association refuted claims that its president, Claudio Tapia, and treasurer, Pablo Toviggino, had been summoned to testify by U.S. courts.
In an official statement, the association clarified, “The referenced document does not entail any personal restrictions on the AFA President or its Treasurer, does not mandate their attendance, does not assign any procedural duties to them, and does not indicate any seizure or confiscation of their assets.”
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A witness at the airport reported that as the Argentine team was getting ready to board their flight, federal agents spent approximately 30 minutes questioning both Tapia and Toviggino on a bus parked on the tarmac. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey directed inquiries to the FBI, which chose not to provide a comment. While the association did not disclose the identity of the third party involved as per U.S. court requests, it highlighted that neither Tapia nor Toviggino were under investigation by U.S. authorities.
