Following the incident, Feigen agreed to make a $10,800 donation to a Brazilian charity.
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Brazilian police on Thursday said their investigation revealed the swimmers fabricated a story about being pulled over by men dressed as police and robbed at gunpoint.
The statement made no mention of Police Chief Fernando Veloso’s contention that off-duty police officers working as security guards had been the ones who’d pointed a gun at the drunken USA swimmers when they tried to flee after vandalizing a gas station bathroom.
The lawyer for a third US swimmer said he would make a $10,800 payment and leave Brazil later in the day.
Lochte’s team-mates Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger landed in Miami on Friday after testifying about the alleged robbery.
Lochte originally claimed that their vehicle was pulled over at gunpoint by men posing as police officers. Lochte said one of the men even pointed a gun to his forehead and robbed the men of their cash.
Breno Melaragno Costa, Feigen’s lawyer in Rio, announced the agreement early Friday after meeting with with a judge and prosecution officials at a police station, ABC and the Associated Press reported.
Armed security guards then challenged the swimmers and one of them drew a gun and demanded they sit down, but Lochte then stood up and yelled at one of the guards, Bentz said, adding that he and team mate Jack Conger had tried to restrain him.
US tabloid press dubbed him “The Ugly American” and “The Lochte Mess Monster”, turning on the once-beloved champion and saying his behaviour fed the worst stereotypes of Americans overseas. Lochte’s attorney, Jeff Ostrow, said the athletes had moved out after the completion of their sporting events and that his client had returned to the United States.
Lochte has several major sponsors, including fashion house Ralph Lauren Corp, which took down any reference to the gold medallist on its website yesterday, and swimwear company Speedo which has said it is following the situation.
Bentz and Conger “were heard only as witnesses”. Through the interpreter, one of the guards said that we needed to pay them in order to leave. This freaky story has turned out to be a ridiculous lie, and today Lochte issued an apology concerning the incident, but he still didn’t acknowledge that he made the story up.
The lawyer for the fourth US swimmer, James Feigen, said the athlete would make a $10,800 “donation” and leave Brazil later in the day. Shortly afterward, Lochte’s mother, Ileana Lochte, told the media the swimmers were in a taxi when confronted by people with guns, who stole their wallets.
“I am unsure why, but while we were in that area, Ryan pulled to the ground a framed metal advertisement that was loosely anchored to the brick wall”.
That outrage was evident Thursday, as onlookers shouted “liars” and “shameful” at Bentz and Conger as they left a police station where they gave statements.
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Lochte and the other swimmers could face sanctions from USA Swimming, including fines or suspension.
