Brazilian police recommended on Thursday that prosecutors present charges against US swimmer Ryan Lochte for a false crime report, Reuters reports.
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“Ryan Lochte was charged with the crime of falsely reporting a crime”, Agence France-Presse reported, citing Rio police, this evening. The indictment will also be sent to the International Olympic Committee’s ethics commission, it said.
Over the last week, Lochte’s world has seemingly crumbled at his feet after it was revealed that he had lied to authorities about being robbed at gunpoint alongside his USA swimming teammates Jimmy Feigen, Gunnar Bentz, and Jack Conger in Rio. After reviewing surveillance video and speaking with witnesses, police said the group had actually vandalized a gas station.
Lochte made world headlines when he claimed to have been robbed at gunpoint on August 14, along with three other USA swimmers, but after conflicting reports and a surveillance video surfaced, Lochte told NBC’s Matt Lauer on August 21: “I over-exaggerated that story and if I had never done that, we wouldn’t be in this mess”.
Pine Bros. said people should be more understanding of the swimmer, who will appear in ads that say the company’s product is “forgiving on your throat”. In his second statement, he gave more details, he said.
Police confirmed the case had been referred to the courts, and are recommending the courts summon Lochte to Brazil for questioning.
Authorities released a statement to The AP explaining that the 32-year-old swimming star, who returned to the United States before police initiated their investigation, would be informed of the charges facing him in Brazil.
“That didn’t happen, and that’s why – I over-exaggerated that part, ” Lochte said.
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“Contrary to some earlier reports, the police say there was no physical violence between the swimmers and workers at the gas station who reportedly wouldn’t let the Americans leave without paying for damages”. Later he updated his statement like the gun was cocked at his forehead.
