Seems as the Rio, Brazil police aren’t playing when it comes to Ryan Lochte’s lies.
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The 32-year old gold medallist had said that he and three of his team mates were held at gunpoint and robbed by men posing as police officers after a party in the city.
Under Brazilian law, falsely filing a crime report carries a maximum penalty of 18 months in prison.
An exaggerated story that he and three other members of the USA swim team were robbed at gunpoint at a gas station in Rio de Janeiro cost Lochte the endorsements from Speedo and Ralph Lauren.
RIO DE JANEIRO – Brazilian police on Thursday recommended prosecutors present charges against Ryan Lochte for a false crime report, after the U.S. swimmer told police and media that he and three team mates were robbed at gunpoint during the Rio Olympics. The police alleged that the swimmers vandalized a bathroom at a gas station and were confronted by armed security guards who requested money for the damage.
The three fellow swimmers were Jack Conger, Gunnar Bentz and Jimmy Feigen, and the men who robbed them were with a police badge, said Lochte. Lochte can decide to opt out and send a lawyer, he does not have to appear in court.
The swimmer could also face disciplinary action over the incident by USA Swimming and the International Olympic Committee.
Lochte has already been dropped from four major sponsors. Lochte fled Brazil, still holding on to his lie, but his teammates fessed up.
Since returning to the U.S., Lochte has apologized.
In a second interview with Lauer, he said he had “over-exaggerated” when describing the events of the morning to NBC and others.
He is accused of filing a false police report over the vandalism incident at a Rio gas station. If this happened to everyday citizens, like you or I, we would probably be sentenced to jail time. ‘Let’s give these kids a break, ‘ said Rio 2016 chief spokesman Mario Andrada, who had earlier given a full apology for the supposed ordeal they had gone through in a gunpoint robbery. Pine Bros. Softish Throat Drops said it would launch a series of ads featuring Lochte with the slogan: “Forgiving on Your Throat”.
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One US company threw Lochte a lifeline on Thursday, however.
