Raids Shake Up Argentine Soccer Amid Major Money Laundering Probe

A federal judge has ordered raids within the Argentine Football Association and various soccer clubs due to a money laundering investigation involving Sur Finanzas. The probe, reported by La Nacion, could heighten tensions between AFA's president and government officials advocating for-profit soccer organizations.

A federal judge has instigated raids on the Argentine Football Association (AFA) and numerous soccer clubs as part of a major investigation into alleged money laundering activities, according to local media reports. Federal police conducted searches of the AFA's Buenos Aires headquarters on Tuesday.

The operation is linked to accusations concerning financial manipulations connected to the financial services firm Sur Finanzas, as per La Nacion. More than 10 soccer clubs, including notable clubs Racing, San Lorenzo, and Independiente, were targets of the judicial raids. Both the AFA and Sur Finanzas declined immediate comment, and efforts to contact the federal court in Lomas de Zamora, where the raid orders originated, were unsuccessful. Racing has acknowledged a publicity and sponsorship deal with Sur Finanzas set to conclude by the year's end.

The ongoing probe, initiated through a criminal complaint, scrutinizes financial transfers between the clubs and Sur Finanzas' payment platform. This investigation may elevate disputes between AFA president Claudio "Chiqui" Tapia and President Javier Milei, particularly over Na issues involving the structural and ownership frameworks of Argentina's soccer clubs.