BUENOS AIRES.- The owner of the Argentine Football Association (AFA), Claudio ‘Chiqui’ Tapiaappeared this Thursday before the court investigating him for alleged tax evasion along with four other leaders of the institution.
The tax collection body ARK Last year, he filed a criminal complaint claiming improper withholdings and non-payment of taxes and social security contributions for about 19 billion pesos (about $13 million).
The AFA affirmed that the debts are non-existent and attributed the cause to pressure from the ultra-liberal government Javier Milei.
The Argentine president promotes the conversion of clubs from non-profit entities to sports corporations, a model resisted by the teams and incompatible with the AFA statutes.
The clubs suspended the ninth date of the First Division Professional League that was to be played between March 5 and 8 in solidarity with those reported. They also paralyzed the rest of the category’s activities on those dates.
Tapia entered the courts of the federal capital this Thursday with his lawyers shortly before noon and left a little less than an hour later.
“We have complied, we already complied,” Tapia briefly told the press as he left the court, AFP reported.
On Wednesday, the AFA treasurer, Pablo Tovigginowho completed the same procedure, refused to answer questions and presented a brief to the court, the content of which was not disclosed.
After Tapia’s appearance, the judge must decide whether he has sufficient elements to prosecute the accused.
Last week the rest of those investigated in the file had already done the same.
AFA position
Days ago, the AFA argued in a statement that “it does not have any debt payable for the tax obligations that have been taken as support for the complaint filed by ARCA.”
The Court of Appeals in economic criminal matters has yet to rule on a proposal by the defenses for the alleged non-existence of the crime, a resolution that is expected for next Wednesday.
Meanwhile, a measure prohibiting them from leaving Argentina weighs on the accused.
In addition to this cause, the powerful football organization chaired by Tapia since 2017 is being investigated for possible money laundering, a case for which the organization was raided last December to investigate its dealings with a private financial company.
