The company hired by the Argentine Football Association (AFA) to collect its revenue worldwide continues to surprise. In addition to redirecting $42 million to four shell companies that include Argentines living in Bariloche and facing tax and trade problems, transferred at least $2.3 million to another American company, whose visible face is a former employee of the municipality of Lanús, who was a welfare recipientas evidenced by the banking, corporate, labor and commercial documents compiled by LA NACION.
The path leads to Matias Esteban Fernándeza 45-year-old Argentinean who appears in the company papers as a “member” and sole responsible person W Trading LLCa limited liability company incorporated in the state of Florida. Between November 2022 and September 2023 he received thirteen transfers from TourProdEnter LLCthe AFA’s “exclusive” commercial agent for the entire world, with the exception of Argentina.
However, Fernández’s asset profile clashes with the volume of foreign exchange he mobilized. Once upon a time Municipal employee in Lanúsalso appeared as Monotributist until he voluntarily resigned due to “cessation of activity”. Available official records also indicate that he accessed the universal allocation Number 80-2-8459821-0 in 2018 when her daughter was 4 years old. Today the theoretical recipient of at least $2,297,500 from the AFA I would live abroad.
The company in which Fernández appears, W Trading, shares similarities with the four companies suspected of acting as “”.Screen“for the diversion of $42 million belonging to the AFA, as confirmed by LA NACION. That is, to Soagu Services LLC, which received $10.8 million; Marmasch LLC with transfers of $13.4 million; Velp LLC with $3 million; and Velpasalt LLC with $14.7 million.
Like these societies, W Trading has not registered employees or verified activities in the United States until its dissolution in September 2024. And like these companies, it declared itself as Address: Suite 228, 1031 Ives Dairy Roadin Miami.
This address is home to a two-story office building that is home to dozens of small businesses. From a skin care store to law firms and doctor’s offices advertising on the Internet to offer their services “Virtual Offices”. The costs? $50 an hour Rental of the “conference rooms” as confirmed by LA NACION.
The thirteen transfers you received from TourProdEnter LLC bank accounts also show certainty common patterns for the rotates that the company of Javier Faroni and Erica Gillette spent in favor of the other “shell companies”. Firstly, because everyone Transfers were made for amounts in the six figures or less, reducing the risk of a money laundering alert. Also because the transfers to several of these companies took place within the year same dates.
This happened, for example, May 11, 2023when Gillette made three consecutive transfers from TourProdEnter LLC’s account at Synovus Bank. The first? TO Velp LLCSociety in which Argentina appears Veronica Lopezfor $160,000 Velpsalt LLC, which also includes López’s husband, Roberto Salicenow for $270,000 W-Tradewith Fernandezfor $150,000.
However, that was not the only coincidence of timing. On the contrary. In 8 of TourProdEnter’s 13 payments to W Trading, the transfer coincided with a transfer to another of the suspect companiesas LA NACION discovered in the confidential documents of US banks Bank of America, Citibank, JP Morgan and Synovus.
The first transfer in favor of W Trading was also registered by Synovus Bank November 2, 2022. It cost $270,000. Twenty-six days later, on the 28th of that month, Fernández incorporated the joint stock company in Argentina Sfera Global Sportswhich has since been presented on LinkedIn as a “sports management company for soccer players with Argentine influence and talent.”
On its “WordPress” page, the alleged “company” claims that it “Agent registered as a legal entity by the AFA and FIFA“, which manages “Argentine Sports Talents (SIC) with a presence in Europe, Asia, the USA and Latin America”. Additionally, it says it has “15 years of experience” and is “headquartered in Buenos Aires and has correspondents in Europe and the United States.”
However, the supposed company accumulates several Inconsistencies. The first one, that does not have a single tax identification document (CUIT)Therefore, it was not registered with the Customs Collection and Control Agency (ARCA, formerly AFIP). The second that on the Internet iEnter a non-existent number as the phone number: 1234-5678 in the city of Buenos Aires.
On the same “WordPress” page, the alleged company also states that its offices are located in Avenida Corrientes 22215th floor. That is, in the Comega building. But on this floor it was “Sky Bar“ and those responsible for the building stated, when asked by LA NACION, that Sfera Global Sports SA neither operates there nor knows Fernández.
When Fernández and his partners (Alejandro Belloni, Néstor Izaguirre, Martín Nicchiarelli and Esteban Diez) published the creation of the alleged company in the Official Gazette, they reported that they had established the “headquarters” of Sfera Global Sports SA just around the corner from the Comega building on the street May 25, 330, 4th floor. But that’s what they said too This company did not operate nor did they know Fernándezas confirmed by LA NACION.
In the statutes of Sfera Global Sports, Fernández stated that his personal address was in a building on the street Bartolome Miter 222714th floor. But the correct address is on the 2nd floor, apartment 14, des quiet part of the building this modest property. His is still alive there Mother. “It’s been many years (Matias) live outside” he explained when a reporter from LA NACION identified himself and asked to speak to his son to ask him about football topics.
–Football? He? -she asked in surprise-. As far as I know, no.
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