Lochte and Feigen said they were robbed at gunpoint along with USA teammates Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger after going to a Brazilian club Sunday night.
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A CBS Sports report indicates that Brazilian authorities are recommending charges against United States Swim Team members Ryan Lochte and James Feign.
Lochte has said he was with Conger, Bentz and Jimmy Feigen when they were robbed at gunpoint in a taxi by men with a police badge as they returned to the athletes’ village from a party, several hours after the final Olympic swimming events.
Police in Rio have been skeptical of the swimmers’ claims, which quickly drew headlines around the world over the weekend. August 19, 2016: As Brazilian police yesterday dubbed US Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte’s claim of robbery essentially a fib, the authorities also had some words of wisdom for the oat-meal haired North Carolina born athlete. When they damaged the bathroom door, a security guard pulled out his weapon and made them stay until police arrived, prompting a confrontation, G1 reported. Lochte, a 12-time Olympic medalist, flew back to the US earlier this week, before Brazilian authorities could prevent his departure.
Now, The New York Times is reporting that Brazilian law enforcement that Lochte fabricated his report, and that instead it was a security guard who pointed a gun at the athlete, after he and his fellow swimmers were caught vandalizing a gas station bathroom.
Judge Keyla Blank handed down the order in light of “contradictions in the swimmers’ reports”, according to a statement from the court, and their seemingly chipper demeanor on surveillance footage taken not long after they say they were mugged. “They were not victims of the crimes they claimed”, Fernando Veloso, chief of civil police, said during a news conference Thursday afternoon.
Lochte’s lawyer, Jeff Ostrow, has said there is no question the robbery happened.
The robbers allegedly took Lochte’s wallet and money from the rest of the swimmers but left Lochte’s cell phone and credentials.
Lochte’s teammates eventually admitted to police Lochte was lying. After a few minutes, the swimmers exchange words with another man and appear to hand something over to him, and, at 6:17, they walk away.
Lochte, Feigen and two other swimmers initially claimed to have been robbed early Sunday morning in Brazil.
Now, two out of the four swimmers may face charges.
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Due to this, Brazil’s justice system ordered the retention of all four swimmers passports on Wednesday but Lochte had already returned to the United States earlier in the week.
