US Olympian charged with making false statement to police
32-year-old 12-time gold medal winner Ryan Lochte risks a jail sentence of up to 6 months or a fine
Ryan Lochte and teammate Jimmy Feigen fabricated robbery claims after they were detained for vandalising a petrol station
US Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte has been charged with making a false statement about being robbed at gunpoint, according to Brazilian police.
The athlete and his team mate Jimmy Feigen were accused of lying about being stopped by gunmen posing as police in the early hours of Sunday while they were with two other US swimmers, Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger.
Feigen was allowed to leave the country after making an $11,000 donation to a Brazilian charity.
Lochte was charged with the crime of falsely reporting a crime, police said in a statement, adding that the case had been referred to the courts. Although Lochte has since left the country, criminal proceedings can continue in his absence and he can opt to send a lawyer in his stead.
The 32-year-old 12-time gold medal winner risks a jail sentence of up to 6 months, but it is understood that a fine could be imposed instead of jail time.
He has since apologized for his behavior and for “taking the focus away from many athletes fulfilling their dreams of participating in the Olympics.”
