Site icon E28

Explosive Claims Surface as Argentina Face Pre-World Cup Villa Scandal

E28 Staff1
Argentina

Just months before the World Cup, Argentina’s football has been rocked by a major financial controversy following claims made by former national team star Carlos Tevez. In a social media post from March 2024, Tevez hinted that something suspicious was unfolding in Pilar, a quiet area on the outskirts of Buenos Aires.

Tevez alleged that the Argentine Football Association (AFA) treasurer had been visiting the area frequently and suggested that bags of cash were being hidden underground, alongside a growing collection of luxury and vintage vehicles.

Political Party Files Charges After Shocking Discoveries

Following the tweet, opposition party CoaliciΓ³n CΓ­vica launched its own inquiry and later filed criminal charges linked to a mysterious villa in Pilar. With the World Cup approaching, the property has become central to allegations of money laundering tied to senior AFA officials.

In early December, Argentine police raided the AFA headquarters and more than a dozen football clubs as part of an investigation into suspected illegal financial flows involving a financial services firm.

Just days later, authorities searched the Pilar property and uncovered a heliport, stables, swimming facilities, and 54 vehicles, including high-end luxury cars.

β€œπ‘»π’‰π’† π’†π’—π’Šπ’…π’†π’π’„π’† π’”π’–π’ˆπ’ˆπ’†π’”π’•π’” 𝒕𝒉𝒆 π’‘π’“π’π’‘π’†π’“π’•π’š π’˜π’‚π’” 𝒖𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒂𝒍 𝒂 π’π’‚π’“π’ˆπ’†-𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒍𝒆 π’Žπ’π’π’†π’š π’π’‚π’–π’π’…π’†π’“π’Šπ’π’ˆ π’π’‘π’†π’“π’‚π’•π’Šπ’π’,” π’„π’π’‚π’Šπ’Žπ’†π’… π‘ͺπ’π’‚π’π’Šπ’„π’ŠΓ³π’ π‘ͺΓ­π’—π’Šπ’„π’‚ π’Šπ’ 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒕 π’‡π’Šπ’π’Šπ’π’ˆπ’”.

The party alleges that the villa is connected to AFA president Claudio β€˜Chiqui’ Tapia and treasurer Pablo Toviggino, despite being officially registered under a third party.

AFA Denies Allegations, Blames Political Pressure

The AFA declined to comment directly on the allegations or grant interviews with Tapia or Toviggino. However, the federation issued a statement claiming it is being targeted by President Javier Milei’s government, which has pushed to privatize Argentina’s traditionally member-run football clubs.

β€œπ‘Ύπ’† 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 π’“π’Šπ’ˆπ’‰π’• 𝒑𝒂𝒕𝒉,” 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑨𝑭𝑨 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒅, π’„π’Šπ’•π’Šπ’π’ˆ π‘¨π’“π’ˆπ’†π’π’•π’Šπ’π’‚β€™π’” 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒏-π’‡π’Šπ’†π’π’… 𝒔𝒖𝒄𝒄𝒆𝒔𝒔, π’Šπ’π’„π’π’–π’…π’Šπ’π’ˆ 𝒕𝒉𝒆 2022 𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 π‘ͺ𝒖𝒑 π’•π’“π’Šπ’–π’Žπ’‘π’‰, π’”π’Šπ’π’„π’† π‘»π’‚π’‘π’Šπ’‚ π’•π’π’π’Œ π’π’‡π’‡π’Šπ’„π’† π’Šπ’ 2017.

Meanwhile, Argentina tax authorities have accused a prosecutor of illegally holding $13 million linked to senior AFA figures β€” adding further fuel to the growing scandal.

Sports journalist NΓ©stor Centra summed up the crisis bluntly:

β€œπ‘»π’‰π’†π’“π’† 𝒂𝒓𝒆 π’•π’˜π’ 𝑨𝑭𝑨𝒔 π’“π’Šπ’ˆπ’‰π’• π’π’π’˜ β€” 𝒐𝒏𝒆 π’‚π’…π’Žπ’Šπ’“π’†π’… π’˜π’π’“π’π’…π’˜π’Šπ’…π’† 𝒇𝒐𝒓 π’˜π’Šπ’π’π’Šπ’π’ˆ π’•π’Šπ’•π’π’†π’”, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 π’…π’†π’†π’‘π’π’š 𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒃𝒍𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒕 π’‰π’π’Žπ’†.”

World Cup Participation Unlikely to Be Affected

Despite the mounting legal pressure, experts believe the scandal will not impact Argentina’s place at the World Cup.

β€œπ‘΅π’ 𝒐𝒏𝒆 π’˜π’π’–π’π’… 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒆 π’‘π’‚π’š 𝒕𝒉𝒆 π’‘π’π’π’Šπ’•π’Šπ’„π’‚π’ π’‘π’“π’Šπ’„π’† 𝒐𝒇 π’†π’™π’„π’π’–π’…π’Šπ’π’ˆ π‘΄π’†π’”π’”π’Š,” π’”π’‚π’Šπ’… 𝑩𝒖𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒔 π‘¨π’Šπ’“π’†π’”-𝒃𝒂𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒔 π’π’‚π’˜π’šπ’†π’“ 𝑨𝒍𝒂𝒏 π‘Ύπ’Šπ’π’…π’†π’“. β€œπ‘¬π’”π’‘π’†π’„π’Šπ’‚π’π’π’š π’Šπ’‡ π’•π’‰π’Šπ’” 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒃𝒆 π’‰π’Šπ’” π’‡π’Šπ’π’‚π’ 𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 π‘ͺ𝒖𝒑.”

While financial controversies have long shadowed global football β€” including previous scandals involving FIFA β€” the timing of this case has raised eyebrows among fans already frustrated by governance issues within Argentine football.

As investigations continue, Argentina’s performances on the pitch remain elite β€” but off it, the federation faces its most serious crisis in years.

Also Read: Messi Poised to Shatter a Unique Record in the New Year

Exit mobile version