Argentine football was thrust into a major corruption investigation on Tuesday as federal police executed coordinated raids across the nation’s football establishment. Under the directive of Federal Judge Luis Armella, authorities simultaneously targeted the headquarters of the Argentine Football Association (AFA) and at least 17 first and second division clubs in a sweeping operation.
The judicial action centers on alleged financial connections to Sur Finanzas, a financial services company currently under investigation for suspected money laundering and tax evasion. The company, owned by Ariel Vallejo, holds sponsorship agreements with AFA tournaments and multiple football clubs across Argentina’s top divisions.
According to a judicial official with access to the case who spoke anonymously due to lack of authorization, investigators specifically sought contracts between clubs and the financial firm, along with electronic documentation that could reveal financial transactions. The raids extended beyond Buenos Aires to include the AFA’s national team training facilities in Ezeiza, located approximately 40 kilometers from the capital.
Prominent clubs affected by the operation include football giants Independiente, Racing, and San Lorenzo, alongside Barracas Central—a club founded by Matías Tapia, son of current AFA president Claudio ‘Chiqui’ Tapia. Television broadcasts captured the unusual sight of police officers conducting searches within the offices of the nation’s premier football organization.
The investigation stems from a formal complaint filed by the Customs Revenue and Control Agency (ARCA) alleging illicit transactions totaling 818 billion pesos (approximately $560 million) through Sur Finanzas. In a notable response, third-division club Excursionistas publicly distanced itself from the investigation, asserting through social media that it maintains “no corporate, financial, or administrative relationship” with the implicated company.