“There was no robbery”, Rio de Janeiro Civil Police Chief Fernando Veloso said Thursday, announcing the results of a high-profile investigation into Lochte’s report that he and three other USA swimmers – James Feigen, 26; Gunnar Bentz, 20; and Jack Conger, 21 – had been held up at gunpoint during their time at the Summer Olympics.
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In a statement posted on his Twitter and Instagram accounts, Lochte said he was sorry for “not being more careful or candid” in how he described what had happened early last Sunday morning, adding: “I accept responsibility for my role in this happening and have learned some valuable lessons”.
Lochte’s claims that he and three other US swimmers were robbed at gunpoint in Rio was cast into doubt, after surveillance video from a gas station were released by Brazilian authorities.
Lochte’s team-mates Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger landed in Miami on Friday after testifying about the alleged robbery.
Earlier Friday, the attorney for Jimmy Feigen – one of the three US swimming teammates who were with Lochte on the night in question – announced that his client will pay about $10,800 to an unnamed Brazilian charity and then leave the country.
Lochte wrote it was “traumatic to be out late with your friends in a foreign country – with a language barrier – and have a stranger point a gun at you and demand money”.
“Regardless of the behavior of anyone else that night”, Lochte wrote, “I should have been much more responsible in how I handled myself and for that am sorry to my teammates, my fans, my fellow competitors, my sponsors, and the hosts of this great event”.
“This was a situation that could and should have been avoided”.
“There was no robbery of the kind reported by the athletes”, Rio de Janeiro’s police chief Fernando Veloso said.
However, by then, Lochte had already flown back to the US. Security footage from the gas station caught what actually happened on camera.
Police have said authorities are considering charging the athletes with falsely reporting a crime and destruction of property, both of which are punishable by up to six months in jail or a fine.
After a few minutes, the swimmers stand up and appear to exchange something – perhaps cash, as police said – with one of the men.
On Wednesday night, Fort Lauderdale-based attorney Jeffery Ostrow released a statement continuing to defend his client writing if Lochte had a gun pulled on him in the United States, it would be considered a robbery. That’s when two men approached with guns and badges and told them to get out and get down, Lochte said. Lochte, a 12-time medalist, won a gold in Rio in a relay race alongside Phelps.
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Lochte, who’d never publicly mentioned the vandalism or argument with gas station staff, suggested in his statement that he still viewed himself as a victim, but that it didn’t excuse how he acted.
