Claudio Tapia, president of the Argentine Football Association (AFA), appeared in court in Buenos Aires on Thursday for allegedly failing to pay social security taxes.
It was Tapia’s first appearance amid multiple investigations into his assets and the AFA’s financial management.
Tapia arrived at the federal courthouse in a van with his lawyers and entered the building amid a swarm of journalists. He has made no statements.
Federal judge Diego Amarante, who specializes in economic crimes, has summoned AFA president Tapia and four other AFA directors to testify and banned them from leaving the country over the improper withholding of club membership fees worth a total of 19 billion pesos ($13 million) in 2024 and 2025.
The complaint was filed by the Customs Revenue and Control Agency.
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Tapia may refuse to testify or submit a written statement.
The Argentine Criminal Code provides for penalties of two to six years in prison for withholding or collecting national taxes not deposited within 30 calendar days of the due date.
Tapia faces other lawsuits for alleged tax evasion and money laundering.
The AFA denies any tax liability and claims it is the victim of persecution by Javier Milei’s government. The AFA has defended Tapia’s government, which began in 2017. Since then, the national team led by Lionel Messi has won the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the 2021 Copa America and the 2024 Copa America.
Published on March 12, 2026
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