Raids at AFA: the contract that guaranteed 40% commissions to Faroni

Within the framework of the raids ordered by federal courts, the contract that the entity signed with a company linked to theater impresario and close associate Sergio Massa, Javier Faroni, was found at the headquarters of the Argentine Football Association. The document, which the press accessed, establishes a scheme of total exclusivity for AFA's collections and payments abroad, in exchange for a 30% commission, plus an additional 10% for logistics tasks.

The procedure was ordered by federal judge Luis Armella, at the request of Federal Prosecutor's Office No. 2 of Lomas de Zamora, headed by Cecilia Incardona, together with the Office of the Prosecutor for Economic Crime and Money Laundering (PROCELAC). In addition to the Viamonte headquarters, the raids reached AFA's grounds in Ezeiza and Faroni's residence.

The contract, signed on December 9, 2021, grants the company TourProdEnter —linked to Faroni— the status of exclusive agent for the management of international collections. Article four is explicit:AFA had to refrain from hiring third parties for similar tasks without the agent's express consent. In simple terms, it was a closed door to any competition.

The most striking clause is the sixth, where the compensation is set: 30% of each amount that enters in favor of AFA in contracts managed abroad. To this is added an additional 10% for alleged logistics tasks, which include everything from travel and accommodations to insurance and meeting planning.

The agreement was signed by Claudio Chiqui Tapia and Pablo Toviggino, and it is valid until December 31, 2026. Erica Gillette, Faroni's wife, signed on behalf of the company. The text clarifies that no partnership of any kind is formed between the parties and that the funds would not come from illicit activities, a clarification that today is, to say the least, uncomfortable.

According to the investigation, TourProdEnter allegedly managed about 260 million dollars of AFA's funds abroad, and it is suspected that at least 42 million were diverted to a network of companies based in Miami. The case also involves Sur Finanzas, a firm identified as a key piece of the scheme and linked to AFA officials.

Meanwhile, Faroni —a former lawmaker close to Sergio Massa— was notified of a ban on leaving the country after a raid on his home in Nordelta. The progress of the judicial process exposes, once again, how for years Argentine football operated with opaque contracts and benefits far removed from transparency.