The corruption scandal rocking the Argentine Football Association (AFA) has taken a new turn, linked to the nocturnal transfer of horses from a luxurious mansion in Pilar, a property under investigation by the Federal Justice. This property, according to various judicial records, is linked to the AFA's treasurer, Pablo Toviggino, and president Claudio 'Chiqui' Tapia. According to reconstructions from judicial, political, and Toviggino's own circle sources, the episode occurred in the hours before the Villa Rosa estate was raided by court order. For the Federal Justice, the formal owners are likely not the true owners. The operation to remove the 14 horses was not without its setbacks; the first truck could not accommodate all the animals, requiring a second vehicle to complete the transfer. The transfer took place just as security cameras monitoring the perimeter reportedly suffered a simultaneous technical failure. The horses were initially taken to an estate with a stud farm known as 'Las Casuarinas,' where Toviggino's children trained, and then moved to the eight-hectare mansion of a well-known Peronist leader from the Buenos Aires suburbs. In Toviggino's circle, it is claimed that his connection to equestrian sports is deep and personal. His daughter practices the sport competitively, and associates say Toviggino is more drawn to the atmosphere of studs, jockeys, and high-value horses than to football itself. The judicial investigation continues to advance into the real ownership of the Pilar estate, valued at around 17 million dollars. The case also mentions the displeasure of Senator and former Governor of Santiago del Estero, Gerardo Zamora, a historical ally of the AFA treasurer. Judicial experts, who conducted a survey ordered by Judge Marcelo Aguinsky after the raid, counted 15 stalls, five bathrooms, and a caretaker's house in the Pilar mansion, with an estimated value of over a million dollars. Equestrian experts consulted estimate that Toviggino has over 15 show jumping horses, animals of great stature and high value, with market prices around $30,000 per specimen. The case has also been marked by changes of magistrates and internal tensions within the judiciary, as the scandal continues to grow and add elements that compromise the leadership of Argentine football.
