Argentine Football Association (AFA) president Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia was summoned for questioning by the Argentine judiciary on Thursday.

The decision is connected to recent news that the Customs Collection and Control Agency (ARCA, in Spanish) revealed that the AFA allegedly failed to deposit tax withholdings and social security contributions for more than AR$19,350 trillion (just over US$13 billion), according to local media reports.

Tapia isn’t the only AFA top brass to be summoned. AFA treasurer and Tapia right-hand man Pablo Toviggino has also been called, as well as current general secretary Cristian Malaspina and his predecessor Víctor Blanco. 

The ruling, made by Economic Criminal Court No. 5 Judge Diego Amarante, also bans all involved from leaving the country before questioning. Hearings are set to run from  March 5 and 9.

The AFA issued a statement defending Tapia and the institution’s position while also suggesting they are being singled out by control agencies.

The Argentine football governing body insisted it has “no outstanding debt for the tax obligations that have been used as grounds for the complaint,” claiming the payment has already been made. 

It added that it has all been dealt with in a case that is pending resolution by an appeals court.

The communiqué added that ARCA’s actions are “in open contradiction to legal norms” as the agency “cannot collect” on the obligations they’re claiming. The document highlighted that AFA is “the only entity to have  been criminally charged by ARCA to date,” from among “all non-profit entities currently operating in our country [which] are in the same tax and social security situation.”

The request for questioning issued against  Tapia and other AFA high-ranking officials is the latest chapter in a long war between the tax bureau and Argentine football’s governing body.

In January, ARCA accused AFA of falsifying invoices in order to move  over AR$376 million (just over US$253,000) out of the country without proper documentation between 2023 and 2025. 

In their complaint, ARCA said the transfers may be “designed to conceal the real destination of the money and violate existing fiscal control mechanisms.” The AFA filed a suit alleging abuse of authority.

Claudio “Chiqui” Tapia himself has been in hot water over allegations of a string of financial misdeeds. The accusations include claims that a financial company was used to channel improper transactions and that its leaders attempted to hide ownership of a huge mansion in Buenos Aires province through frontmen.

© Buenos Aires Herald