SHOCK: President of Argentine Football Association reveals text messages 'demanding envelopes'

La Nación newspaper reveals a series of evidence regarding the alleged "commission" money scandal within the Argentine Football Association, causing a stir ahead of the Finalissima.

Argentine football is facing a serious scandal just before the Finalissima match against Spain. According to revelations from La Nación, the judicial investigation has uncovered multiple pieces of evidence indicating that senior leaders of the Argentine Football Association (AFA) were involved in a scheme receiving "commission" money between 2020 and 2022.

The central figures in the case are AFA President Claudio 'Chiqui' Tapia and treasurer Pablo Toviggino. According to documents held by the investigating authorities, cash was delivered to the AFA headquarters via "delivery" services. Some amounts were sent in boxes or envelopes, with sender and recipient information clearly indicated.

A notable detail disclosed by La Nación is the inscription on the money package: “To: Claudio Tapia. From: Pablo Toviggino”. The article states: “On June 7, 2022, Pablo Toviggino arranged a 'package' of cash to be delivered to the AFA headquarters. The recipient was President Claudio ‘Chiqui’ Tapia. The money was sent in a box clearly marked with the sender's information.”

According to WhatsApp messages collected by judicial authorities, there were at least seven cash deliveries between 2020–2022, involving both Argentine pesos and US dollars. A message dated September 24, 2021 even directly references a request from the AFA president: “(Tapia) asked me for 300,000 pesos. An envelope like that, delivered right at the AFA entrance.”

Investigators believe that money transfers among AFA leaders have been quite frequent since Tapia took power. The operation method was also sophisticated, with involved parties filming the money counting process to avoid errors or losses. A mentioned video shows a close associate counting money before sending it.

The article details: “On May 20, 2022, Beacon counted 115,600 USD. The video lasts nearly 10 minutes. At the end of the video, he places the money into a brown paper envelope, marks it with a black pen, and says: ‘It's marked, I'll take it straight to the office’ while looking directly at the camera.” This practice is believed to ensure the money reaches the intended recipient.

Prosecutors suspect this money originated from diverting funds from sponsorships of the Argentine national team. Sponsorship funds from major brands like Adidas or Coca-Cola are alleged to have been routed through shell companies before returning to the pockets of AFA leaders via falsified invoices.

According to investigation records, multiple cash deliveries occurred at the AFA headquarters on Viamonte street or at the training center in Ezeiza. Another quoted message shows a rather direct delivery process: “I have to deliver 40,000 USD... You must go to the training facility, it's for Tapia. But it must be before noon. On Monday morning I will return it immediately.”

The case is still under investigation, and no final conclusions have been issued by judicial authorities. However, the revelations from La Nación have stirred public outcry in Argentina, especially as the Finalissima approaches and the Argentine national team prepares to face Spain in a highly anticipated event.