Ariel Vallejo detained in Argentine football money laundering probe

Ariel Vallejo, owner of Sur Finanzas and a financier linked to Argentine Football Association (AFA) president Claudio Tapia, has been detained as part of a major investigation into money laundering and illicit association.

Federal Judge Tomás Rodríguez Ponte ordered the detention after Vallejo failed to appear at his registered address. The investigation, led by prosecutor Cecilia Incardona and PROCELAC head Diego Velasco, examines a suspected scheme operating between September 2020 and December 2025. Authorities suspect that sponsorship contracts between Sur Finanzas and various sports institutions were used to disguise the origin of funds.

The probe involves 17 football clubs, including major teams such as Independiente, Racing, San Lorenzo, Banfield, and Barracas Central, as well as several clubs from the lower divisions like Morón and Temperley. Law enforcement also conducted raids at the Liga Profesional de Fútbol (LPF) headquarters.

In addition to Vallejo, his mother, Graciela Beatriz Vallejo, and 21 others have been detained. Authorities have seized assets, including a Ferrari California valued at $320,000 and real estate. The alleged tax prejudice is estimated at nearly 13.7 billion pesos.