The Deal That Sparked a Federal Investigation
Federal investigators have opened a probe into the Argentine Football Association and its president, Claudio Tapia, over allegations that $24 million funneled into a soccer‑related development in North Bay Village may have been tainted by illicit financing.
The facility, branded as the AFA International Center, was billed as a public‑private partnership that would host five synthetic‑turf fields, a community center, a dog park and a new police station. Its opening coincided with the lead‑up to the 2026 World Cup, even though residents and watchdog groups had raised questions about the speed of the approvals and the transparency of the deal.
Roberto Dominguez, a Buenos Aires businessman who controls a bank under investigation for foreign‑exchange violations, was identified as a principal backer of the project. U.S. authorities say his firm moved roughly $6 million through a web of shell companies before the funds reached a Miami‑based firm called Project Football.
A separate inquiry by the Florida State Ethics Board concluded that former North Bay Village mayor Brent Latham may have breached conflict‑of‑interest rules by accepting gifts from the Argentine soccer federation while negotiating the complex’s construction.
Internal emails and meeting records show that Latham met with Argentine businessman Horacio Gennari before the federation submitted its initial proposal, and that the federation later cancelled a separate contract with Gennari’s company while fast‑tracking the soccer complex.
The village’s planning board approved the project with limited due‑diligence on the investors, and the school district objected to the use of district‑owned land within the site. The resulting agreement split the property between municipal and school‑district ownership, and access to parts of the complex was later restricted amid public outcry.
Tapia has denied any wrongdoing, and the Argentine federation has not responded to requests for comment. Meanwhile, federal investigators continue to examine the flow of money, the role of Project Football, and whether any officials violated state ethics statutes.