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The Enforcement Directorate has initiated a money laundering investigation into alleged multi-crore financial irregularities surrounding a failed proposal to bring football star Lionel Messi and the Argentina national football team to Kochi. Operating from its Kochi unit, the central agency registered an Enforcement Case Information Report under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act against Reporter Broadcasting Company Private Limited and its authorised signatory, Anto Augustine. The proceedings follow the collapse of plans to host an international friendly match in the state in 2025. Federal investigators stepped in after reviewing a first information report registered on September 15, 2026, by the Kalamassery police station, which was initiated following an inquiry conducted by a special investigation team probing the matter.
Forged Agreement Terms and Misleading Claims
According to the police complaint, the accused individuals allegedly engaged in a criminal conspiracy prior to December 20, 2024. Investigators claim that forged, invalid, and unauthorized details were deliberately incorporated into an agreement purportedly executed with the Argentine Football Association. The primary objective behind presenting these questionable documents was to mislead the Kerala state government and the general public to secure improper commercial benefits.
Investigative agencies are currently tracing all monetary transactions conducted under the pretext of organizing the high-profile exhibition match. Officials are examining the formal terms negotiated within the contract, the promotional assurances made to various stakeholders, and the exact volume of funds collected from private and public channels. The central agency aims to establish whether any part of the capital accumulated through these activities qualifies as proceeds of crime requiring statutory attachment.
Security Deposit Exemption and Summons Preparation
A major focus of the probe involves the terms under which organizers sought access to the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in Kaloor. The FIR indicates that on September 26, 2025, the organizers allegedly managed to obtain an exemption from paying a mandatory security deposit of five crore rupees required to secure the venue. Both the state police and federal authorities are scrutinizing the potential involvement of public officials who facilitated this waiver during venue negotiations.
Officials familiar with the development stated that the Enforcement Directorate is preparing to serve a formal summons to Anto Augustine for questioning. Investigators plan to examine him on the overall logistics of the tour, transactions tied to the Argentine Football Association, and regulatory clearances obtained for the stadium. Prior to the registration of the PMLA case, the special team had carried out searches across five locations associated with the Anto brothers, including their ancestral residence in Wayanad.
Scrutiny Extends to Separate Offences and Official Roles
Anto Augustine has previously faced law enforcement action in an unconnected matter registered by the state excise department. Officials had seized 67 litres of suspected illicit liquor from his ancestral residence in Wayanad, which led to his arrest before the Kerala High Court granted him bail.
The scope of the financial inquiry continues to widen as senior police officials, including the state police chief, examine the detailed findings compiled by the special team. Investigators are also evaluating the circumstances surrounding the role of former state sports minister V. Abdurahiman in facilitating the event proposal. With the entry of the Enforcement Directorate, the inquiry will expand into tracing fund trails, evaluating cross-border banking movements, and identifying any underlying money laundering networks linked to the promotional drive, though the allegations have not yet received formal judicial confirmation.
