Enforcement Directorate probes money‑laundering in failed Messi event plan

The Enforcement Directorate’s Kochi unit has opened a money‑laundering case under the PMLA linked to the aborted plan to host Lionel Messi and the Argentina team in Kochi in 2025. An Enforcement Case Information Report was filed against Anto Augustine, the authorised signatory of Reporter Broadcasting Company Private Limited, and the firm itself, following a FIR lodged by Kalamassery police on 15 September 2026 at the request of the Special Investigation Team probing the controversy. The FIR alleges that Augustine and co‑accused forged false details in the contract with the Argentina Football Association before 20 December 2024, aiming to defraud the state government and the public for profit. It also claims they tried to secure control of the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium by obtaining a waiver of the ₹5‑crore security deposit on 26 September 2025. The SIT has searched five sites tied to the Anto brothers, including their ancestral house in Wayanad, where the Excise Department seized 67 litres of liquor, some of it suspected to be spurious, and arrested Augustine. He later obtained bail from the Kerala High Court. Sources say the ED will soon issue a notice to Augustine for questioning as the investigation proceeds.

Context

The case highlights how large‑scale sports event proposals can become entangled with financial crimes when false documentation is used to attract public funds. Such investigations aim to protect state resources and maintain public trust in event planning.