The indictment will also be sent to the International Olympic Committee’s ethics commission, which is investigating the whether Mr. Lochte and his teammates violated the Olympic charter.
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The case sparked an global scandal during the Rio games, and officials said Thursday that police in Brazil have recommended Lochte be charged.
“There was no robbery”, Rio de Janeiro Civil Police Chief Fernando Veloso said.
The US and Brazil have an extradition treaty dating back to the 1960s, but the latter nation has flouted this in the past.
The result of the case — including any charges — would be funneled through USA federal authorities, leaving open the possibility that Brazil could ask Lochte to be extradited if charges are filed.
News of the charge came not long after reports that Lochte will likely be summoned to Brazil to testify as part of the investigation into his fabricated claims that he and three of his teammates were held at gunpoint on the second weekend the Summer Games.
However, as Conger and Bentz tried to leave the country three days later, Rio officials removed them from a USA -bound airplane and questioned them about the robbery claim.
Lochte, 32, along with his swim teammates Jimmy Feigen, 26; Jack Conger, 21; and Gunnar Bentz, 20, had claimed they were robbed at gunpoint by men posing as cops while heading back to the Olympic Village in a taxi on August 14.
But today, Pine Brothers cough drops signed him up, saying “Just as Pine Bros.is forgiving to your throat, the company asks the public for a little forgiveness for an American swimming legend”.
Authorities said there was no robbery, but security guards had drawn guns and stopped the swimmers from leaving after they vandalized the gas station. Feigen, who initially stood by Lochte’s story, was not charged.
According to CNN, Brazilian officials charged Lochte with falsely reporting a crime.
Top sponsors such as Speedo and Ralph Lauren abandoned Lochte this week.
We have a feeling somewhere Lochte is letting out a quiet “jeah”. They were later allowed to leave Brazil, as was Feigen, after he also gave testimony. He has 12 Olympic medals, second only to Michael Phelps among US male Olympians.
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“Thanks to all the folks at pine bros. for your confidence in me”, he said in the post.
