Ryan Lochte will be summoned to give testimony in front of the Brazilian Justice Department, according to a report from Fox News.
Lochte was involved in an altercation at a gas station early one morning during the Rio Olympics. Lochte originally claimed he and 3 other American swimmers were robbed at gunpoint, but has since apologized for exaggerating the story. The incident appears to center around alleged damages to the gas station bathroom that local authorities claim were caused by Lochte and the other three (Jimmy Feigen, Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz) while they were intoxicated after a party.
Fox News reports that a police official says Lochte will be summoned to appear in person in Brazil in front of the nation’s Justice Department. Lochte reportedly cannot testify while still in the U.S.
There wouldn’t be a penalty per se if Lochte didn’t appear in Brazil, but he would then be tried in absentia and could not engage in a plea deal.
Feigen has already settled his part of the case, donating about $11,000 to a Brazilian judo organization. Conger and Bentz have, for the most part, been only named as witnesses and not defendants in any accusations.
Brazil’s civil police are wrapping up their investigation of the matter this week and their findings will be sent on to the state’s prosecutors.
Comments are interesting – They really highlight how differently American News & European News are reporting this.
Outlets in UK going with the “Idiots who deserve any punishment they get” narrative. Most in EU going a similar route. They way they have shown so little respect and very nearly tarred Brazil’s reputation further is actually a big part of the story here, to embarrass your hosts so severely.
That’s how the US press reported it for over a week with no journalistic standards or any factual investigation. You are likely seeing a backlash against that now that more facts have come showing that the Brazilians have lied about a few things too. Embarrass the host? Were there not myriad robberies at gunpoint during the games of athletes, representatives and tourists? Rio already has a bad rep.
No need to over-dramatize this. This was a logical step for the Brazilian authorities, wasn’t it? Lochte of course won’t go back to Brazil. He’ll give a statement about the incident, like Jimmy did. Then a deal will be negotiated and Lochte will pay. End of story (from judical system POV)
If I was Ryan Lochte, I’d tell the Brazilian authorities to go jump into the lake. I would not give those lying crooks a penny more. Thousands of dollars for taking a leak outside? Is Tony Soprano in charge of the Brazilian judicial system these days? Extortion at it’s finest.
Wake up Billy! He has been indicted for lying to the police, which is a crime in Brazil. Wake up Billy!
I would not give those uber-corrupt Brazilian authorities one red cent. End of story.
Wake up Billy! If Lochte could pay them to get out of this crime, he would. They will not offer him an easy way out because they have three Americans who have testified against him. Wake up Billy boy! Wake up!
If I was Lochte I would write down a list of all the countries that I was never going back to as long as I lived. Here’s a suggested draft of that entire list of countries:
1. Brazil
Nailed it.
If Lochte pays another $11K (US), that will be a very expensive ‘poster’ – almost like an Andy Warhol print. Maybe it will appear at an auction in Sotheby. One thing I’m confused about – if the poster was ‘damaged’ should the money not be paid to the advertiser? I would not think the poster was advertising a Shell (the gas station. I read it was for a sandwich or sandwich maker.
Whatever it was, if Lochte returns, I get the best lawyers in Brazil. Rio is magnificent and many who live there are wonderful, kind and law abiding citizens. However, the politics of Brazil is in turmoil and the police in Rio are not immune to controversy. The… Read more »
He obviously doesn’t return. If the US had balls, they’d report Brazil to the Olympic ethic committee for their false statements to the media about the incident and demand the missing minutes of exculpatory video. I don’t see how Brazil should get a pass on this.
Sure, because the “Olympic ethic committee” is so effective at enforcing the rules. . . . .
Not to put Brazil down but Latin American countries are into bribes with the Police or security. Lochte needs the American consulate to intervene.
LOL.
I don’t think that trait stops with Latin American Police forces 😉
MSNBC’s legal expert said it would be idiotic for Lochte to go back to Brazil, given how the justice system works there.
The Brazilians just want to extort more and more money. What a joke………
No, they want to lock him up for 6 months. It’s far worse.
I heard the judo charity was run by the Justice Minister’s brother-in-law!
Joe Bagodonuts – the judo charity is run by Flavio Canto, who is a volunteer. I’ve found no evidence that there’s any kind of familial connection between Alexandre de Moraes, the current justice minister, and Mr. Canto, though it’s possible that there is.
As we’ve pointed out several times – this charity is not a fly-by-night operation. It’s received significant donations from, among others, Rhonda Rousey.
Thank you for clarifying. It didn’t sound right.
This is the only bit of the story that really matters. Who wants to be an international fugitive who has been tried in absentia? Ryan is going to be brought to justice. It not nice, but it will happen.
International fugitive? For tearing a poster off a wall and urinating outside a gas station? Are you insane?
Maybe the Brazilians should look in the mirror and solve all their social problems ( like abject poverty and their astronomical murder rate for example) before worrying about Ryan Lochte and how much dough they can squeeze out of him.
This entire episode has become the theater of the absurd.
USA Today investigated and has proven Lochte told the truth. But facts don’t matter, only the narrative.