The Enforcement Directorate has launched a money-laundering probe into Lionel Messi’s unfulfilled visit to Keralam, targeting businessman Anto Augustine and his firm for alleged financial misappropriation. The investigation stems from accusations of cheating and conspiracy linked to a planned friendly match that never occurred, raising questions about misuse of funds and agreements.
THE ENFORCEMENT DIRECTORATE is officially probing the case involving Lionel Messi’s visit to Keralam under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). According to reports, the central agency is looking into the financial misappropriation in the case as of November 7, 2026.
The ED in Kochi reportedly registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) against the entrepreneur Anto Augustine, the authorized signatory of the firm Reporter Broadcasting Company Private Limited. This action follows Kalamassery police filing an FIR against both the companies in September 2026 after the formation of a Special Investigation Team to probe the matter. The case dates back to late 2024-2025 when the then Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in the state had promised a visit from the Argentinian football legend for a friendly match. However, the visit never transpired leading to the money laundering probe by the central agency this year.
The preliminary investigation conducted by the ADGP P. Vijayan-led SIT led to the registration of FIR in the case on September 15, 2026, naming Anto Augustine as the first accused and his firm Reporter Broadcasting Company Private Limited as the second accused. They were booked under the charges of cheating and criminal conspiracy in Kalamassery, Kochi.
According to media reports, the FIR alleges that the accused entered a criminal conspiracy before December 20, 2024. It further claims that “illegal and fake” details were put into the agreement signed with the Argentina Football Association, with the intention of cheating the State government and the public for profiteering.
The accused allegedly conspired to take control of the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kaloor without paying the required ₹5 crore deposit as a security. On September 26, 2025, as per the official complaint, Augustine’s company arranged an exemption to use the venue for free for the planned friendly match involving Lionel Messi. The FIR has been booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 318 (2), 318 (4) and 61, and other provisions related to cheating and conspiracy.
Reports suggest that the ED is going to issue a notice to Anto Augustine soon, summoning him for questions as part of the PMLA probe. The agency will look for formal examinations following the registration of the ECIR. This probe is separate from, but will run parallel to, another probe registered under Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) involving an alleged transfer abroad of around ₹126 crore in link with the Messi match.
In another update on November 6, 2026, the Kerala High Court issued a notice on a plea filed by Anto Augustine seeking to quash the original FIR against him. The matter has been posted for further consideration until November 23, 2026, as per the LiveLaw.
The high-profile case involving Lionel Messi's visit to Keralam also dragged former government officials into probe. During preliminary inquiry, V. Abdurahiman, former Sports Minister of the state, and his former private secretaries, C. Sathyapalan and G. R. Ramesh, were called in for questioning. The SIT has suggested the government to take action against the individuals under the Prevention of Corruption Act. However, no official complaint has named them as formally accused as of November 7, 2026.
[Rh/HP/RS]
Suggested Reading:
Subscribe to our channels on YouTube and WhatsApp
Download our app on Play Store