Ryan Lochte cleared of criminal charge from Rio incident

Saturday, July 15, 2017
A Brazilian court has dismissed the criminal case against U.S. swimmer Ryan Lochte, who had been charged with filing a false robbery report during the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

The court confirmed in a statement this week that it tossed out the case after determining that Lochte's robbery claim made to NBC did not constitute the filing of a fake report, a crime punishable in Brazil by up to 18 months in prison.
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"We are pleased that the court has finally dismissed the criminal prosecution against Mr. Lochte, while at the same time, appropriately recognizing that he committed no crime. It has been a long year, but in the end, justice prevailed," Jeff Ostrow, Lochte's Florida-based attorney, said in a statement to USA Today on Friday.

Ostrow did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment on Saturday.

Lochte told NBC last year that he and fellow swimmers Jack Conger, Gunnar Bentz and Jimmy Feigen were robbed at gunpoint in a taxi by men with police badges as they returned to the Olympic Village from a party Aug. 15.

Video captured by surveillance cameras showed the athletes getting into a confrontation with security guards at a gas station when their cab pulled over to let them use the restroom.
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The six-time Olympic gold medalist later acknowledged that he was intoxicated and that his behavior led to the confrontation.



Lochte served a 10-month suspension over his behavior in Rio.

"It's been a long suspension but it's over," he tweeted on July 1. "I've learned and became a better man from it."

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