Argentine Government Files Complaint Against Financial Company Linked to Football Federation President
The Argentine government has filed a complaint against a financial company linked to the president of the Argentine Football Federation (AFA), Claudio "Chiqui" Tapia, for a vast alleged system of money laundering and tax fraud.
According to the Argentine tax administration (DGI), the company in question facilitated irregular financial operations totaling 818 billion pesos (approximately $566 million) and evaded more than $2.2 million in taxes on financial transactions since 2022.
Investigation Reveals Extensive Financial Irregularities
The investigation revealed that the company, created in 2022 under the name Neblockchain, became a central player in the financing of Argentine football clubs in just a few years, thanks to its proximity to Chiqui Tapia and its influence within the AFA.
The DGI found that the company used its digital wallet and QR payments to channel massive amounts, mostly incompatible with the declared economic capacity of users. Approximately 31% of the movements came from unregistered entities, including 9% directly identified as issuers of fraudulent invoices, and 27% from low-income independent workers who were unable to justify transfers that sometimes exceeded several billion pesos.
"Army of Small Soldiers" Used to Move Funds
Investigators mentioned a veritable "army of small soldiers" used to move funds. In one cited case, an independent worker with no significant assets received over 230 million pesos and made transactions totaling 87 billion pesos via the digital wallet.
Other users, with no declared activities, transferred over one billion pesos each. This parallel financial system, according to the authorities, was set up to launder money from the black market and fraudulent networks, despite a ban by the Central Bank prohibiting payment service providers from working with taxpayers considered "unreliable".
Scandal Tarnishes Argentine Football Federation
The scandal directly implicates the AFA, as the company in question is a sponsor of several first-division clubs. The company also granted significant loans to the San Lorenzo club, which is currently under investigation for fraudulent management.
The personal ties between the company's owner and Tapia, widely exposed on social media, fuel suspicions of an integrated system combining opaque finances and influence within professional football.
Institutional Crisis and Calls for Urgent Action
This case comes as the AFA is already going through an institutional crisis, with Tapia and his right-hand man Pablo Toviggino accused of arbitral interference and favoritism towards clubs linked to their close circle.
The financial revelations now aggravate the tensions, transforming a sports scandal into a full-blown state affair. The DGI is calling for urgent measures, including searches, seizures, asset freezes, and the intervention of the Financial Information Unit (UIF). The criminal investigation also targets several satellite companies that allegedly served to conceal assets, including a fleet of luxury cars.
The case represents one of the most significant tax fraud and money laundering cases affecting the Argentine sports sector in decades. The upcoming judicial decisions could have significant repercussions on the governance of the AFA and on Chiqui Tapia's position, which is already weakened politically.
