Jimmy Feigen, Gunnar Bentz, and Jack Conger are all on their way home after a week in Brazil that they will not soon forget.
The group made up three-fourths of an American contingent of swimmers accused of vandalizing a gas station in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil early on Sunday morning, after the conclusion of the swimming events at the 2016 Olympic Games, and then filing a false report to police that they were robbed at gun point. Brazilian authorities say that the swimmers paid 100 Brazilian reals (about $33 USD) and $20 in U.S. currency and left before police could arrive at the gas station. The gas station owners had not pressed charges over the vandalism as of Thursday.
Bentz and Conger, who were not indicted by Brazilian police, but were pulled from their initial flight home on Wednesday to be questioned as witnesses, touched down in their initial American destination in Miami on Friday morning at 6:30AM. Their attorney, Sergio Riera, insisted to The Associated Press that they had nothing to do with Lochte’s story and were “heard only as witnesses.”
Meanwhile, Feigen’s attorney said this morning that he had reached an agreement with a Brazilian judge where he would donate 35,000 Brazilian reals ($10,800 USD) to an “institution” and be allowed to leave the country later in the day on Friday. Earlier this week, Feigen’s passport was ordered to be revoked to force him to remain in the country while more clarity on the matter was sought.
While no specific “institution” was named as the benefactor of the money, it’s presumed to mean charity. It is allowed under Brazilian law to avoid charges for minor offenses by making charitable donations.
The United States Olympic Committee issued a statement on the matter on Thursday in which they said they did not condone the swimmers’ actions, and where they apologized to “the people of Brazil” for the incident.
Lochte, who has been the lightning-rod for the whole event after being the unofficial spokesperson for the group who made public statements that they were robbed, returned to the United States earlier in the week before Brazilian authorities could force him to stay.
Where did Jimmy Feigen get the cash to pay off the Brazilians? Just curious……..
My favorite part about reading the comments is how everyone has suddenly received their doctorates in international law.
Pretty much obvious.
But I really can understand the motive behind all this facade, if they simply tell: “we got drunk after the end of the event and made some mess” no one cares…So dumb.
It’s alright, Nina Dobrev is paying for it
THE COSMOS WORKS IN STRANGE WAYS.
Jimmy Feigen, also known as “Silver Medal Jimmy” for winning silver medals on the international stage, finally won a gold medal last week for his prelim swim in the winning 4×100 free relay.
He earned $25,000 from USOC for his gold medal swim. (There were a few people who wondered if his nickname should be changed.)
However, after his role in #LochteGate, Feigen is forced to pay out $10,000+ to get his passport back.
That reduced his Rio earnings down to about $15,000, or about the same as . . . get ready for this . . . If he’d earned another SILVER medal. ($15,000 is the USOC silver medal payout.)… Read more »
wew
But, on the bright side, he gets to pay income taxes on all $25,000, no?
Why should the NCAA have any say in this? Lochte and Feigen are well past their NCAA eligibility. Bentz and Conger weren’t representing the NCAA or their schools on this trip, nor was it in the NCAA season. Witch hunt much?
These guys probably hate Lochte right now. If he would have just kept his mouth shut none of this would have happened.
Feigen’s attorney is a crappy negotiator to pay that large a fine. I suppose he is paying for Lochte also since he ain’t going back to face the music.
so are they assuming that feigen caused the minor property damage ? regardless Lochte should pay part of the fine too
The fine is not for the property damages.
It’s for reporting false crimes and lying to the police.
They will fine Lochte as well or else he’ll forever unable to enter Brazil, and he should give money to Feigen too.
The whole thing started because Lochte lied and couldn’t stop lying.
read the article. the fine has nothing to do with the damage at the gas station. it is for lying in his report to police.