Was Ryan Lochte Really Robbed At Gunpoint In Rio?
Police in Brazil arrived at the Olympic Village on Wednesday to seize the passports of Ryan Lochte and Jimmy Feigen in an attempt to keep them in the country for further questioning about the robbery they claim occurred early Sunday.
A judge gave authorities the go ahead after doubts began to grow over the claims made by the swimmers in light of the surveillance video obtained by DailyMail.com earlier this week showing the group laughing and smiling as they returned to the Olympic Village.
Lochte"s mother later broke the news of the alleged robbery later that day while speaking with Fox Sports.
The athletes are now accused of lying about the incident after the publication of the video Tuesday led investigators to change their line of inquiry.
A formal request for their passports to be seized reveals that the two men will now be investigated for the false communication of a crime, which carries a maximum sentence of three years in jail in Brazil.
Records retrieved by investigators from the X-ray machine through which the athletes passed in the Village also showed that the men were carrying all the belongings which they had claimed in sworn statements to police had been stolen.
Lochte, 32, had already flown out of the country and is home in the US while Feigen"s whereabouts are still not known. Feigen, 26, had been in Rio all day Tuesday but it is unclear if he took a flight home before the judge"s order.
Questions: Ryan Lochte (with blond hair) is seen entering the Olympic Village as his teammate Jimmy Feigen (in blue) is seen holding what appears to be a phone or wallet in one hand as he pulls out something else from his other pocket. Gunnar Bentz (being searched) also appeared to have two things in his hand
Drop off: Feigen (in blue) then drops two items into the bin which could be both a phone and a wallet. Bentz meanwhile atill seems to be holding both a phone and a wallet in his hand while being searched (center)
More questions: Bentz (on right in foreground) is seen holding what appears to be a phone in one hand and a wallet in another as he walks out of frame
On the one hand: As Feigen (in blue shirt) is searched he can be seen on one side holding his credentials and what looks to be a phone or wallet
On the other hand: Feigen looks to be holding either a phone or wallet on the flip side of his credentials
Answers needed: A look at Lochte"s alleged actions in the early hours of Sunday
In the statement a public prosecutor said that the images from the surveillance video, along with "contradictory" statements made by the athletes to police, further reinforced investigators" doubt about the veracity of the athletes" claims they had been robbed.
It read: "One sees that the supposed victims arrived with their physical and psychological integrity intact, even playing with each other, showing that there wasn"t any psychological shock inherent to such alleged violence.
"The more than calm behavior of the athletes straight after the supposed violence, together with other details present in the inquiry, makes me believe that more investigations should be undertaken into the possible false communication of a crime."
Police also revealed that the surveillance footage, showing the swimmers arriving around 7am, was recorded more than three hours after the supposed robbery.
Lochte and Feigen, the only two of the group who have so far given statements to police, claimed they were so drunk they did not know exactly where they were robbed, nor what type of taxi they took to return to the athletes village.
Further confusion has been caused by Lochte and his team mates insistence that they left Club France at 4am a claim that emerged in court papers released today.
According to a statement made to police and cited by Judge Kayla Blank, the men said they picked up a cab from a nearby gas station.
However, speaking to DailyMail Online.com, manager Lucas Alves said he did not see Lochte or any of the other swimmers in surveillance footage when he reviewed it the following morning.
The police came and took all the video from that night, said Alves. But I looked at it before they came and you could not see any of the swimmers on it.
Ipiranga gas station sits on Avenida Borges de Medeiros, approximately 100 yards from the entrance to the Club France compound.
Club France is part of the French hospitality house - an effort to promote the country during the Olympics paid for by the country"s national delegation.
Blank, in her decision, noted that the mens claim to have left at 4am were also contradicted by the images at the location [Club France], which indicated a different time.
Warrant: The search and seizure warrant that has been issued in Brazil for Feigen and Lochte
Location:According to a statement made to police and cited by Judge Kayla Blank, the men said they picked up a cab from a nearby gas station (above)
Story not adding up:However, speaking to DailyMail Online.com, manager Lucas Alves (above) said he did not see Lochte or any of the other swimmers in surveillance footage
Rio highlight: Lochte with his sole medal from the games, the gold her won in the 4x200m freestyle relay
The US Olympic Committee refused to comment on the athletes" whereabouts but confirmed that Brazilian police were looking for the swimmers.
"Local police arrived at the Olympic Village this a.m. and asked to meet with Ryan Lochte and James Feigen and collect their passports in order to secure further testimony from the athletes," spokesman Patrick Sandusky said.
ROBBERY TIMELINE - WHAT WE KNOW (AND WHAT WE DON"T KNOW)Saturday 11pm: Club France opens for special celebration
Sunday 2.25am: Lochte posts video of himself andBrazilian swimmer Thiago Pereira inside the club. They later leave the club, buy popcorn from a street vendor and go to hail a cab.
5am: Club France closes
Sunday 2.25am - 6.30am: Lochte claims that at some point in this window men pretending to be police officers rob them of their wallets while they are in a cab
Sunday 6.56am: Security footage records the four arriving at the athletes" village in a cheerful mood and laughing with one another.
Sunday afternoon: Lochte"s mother tells Fox Sports in an interview that her son was robbed earlier that day.The IOC meanwhile denies that a robbery took place.
Sunday night: Lochte is spotted by Billy Bush while walking down the beach and agrees to speak about the robbery in a segment videotaped by the NBC host using his iPhone.
Monday: IOC apologizes for the security lapse. Police say they are hunting the taxi driver.
Tuesday: DailyMail.com obtains the surveillance video of the men that shows them in the aftermath of the alleged robbery.
Tuesday afternoon: Lochte departs Rio and returns home to Florida.
Wednesday morning: Lochte and Jimmy Feigen"s passports are ordered to be seized by a judge. Investigators say in their report that all goods the men claimed were stolen were in their possession when they returned to the Village Sunday according to scans they obtained from the X-ray machine used by security.
Wednesday afternoon: The owner of the gas station where Lochte claims he caught a cab on Sunday tells DailyMail.com that video footage shows he was not there at any point on Sunday.
"The swim team moved out of the village after their competition ended, so we were not able to make the athletes available.
"Additionally, as part of our standard security protocol, we do not make athlete travel plans public and therefore cannot confirm the athletes" current location."
Sandusky said the US team would "continue to cooperate with Brazilian authorities."
Lochte"s lawyer, Jeff Ostrow, said he was surprised to learn about the ruling in an interview with TMZ on Wednesday.
"I have no information from Brazilian authorities that they want his passport," said Ostrow.
"Im shocked to hear that they would go to such measures in an effort to further investigate the incident as he has been nothing but cooperative with authorities, including sitting for a full interview with the Tourist Police, U.S. State Department, USOC Security, FBI, and anyone else that requested to be present."
Lochte meanwhile has been very clear about his plans for the day, writing on Twitter Tuesday: "My hair is going back to its normal color tomorrow."
Lochte detailed the violent interaction with the group of men who he claims robbed him and his teammates at gunpoint outside the Olympic Village earlier this week.
The swimming great said that the men, who were dressed like police officers, rushed his cab in the early morning hours of Sunday and demanded that he get on the ground.
Lochte said that he refused their orders at first, until one of the men pulled out a gun and held it to his head.
"I put my hands up, I was like "whatever,"" said Lochte, who added that the men took off with his wallet but did not take his cell phone or credentials.
Officials increased security following the violent incident while authorities are searching for the taxi driver who willingly pulled over prior to the attack.
"We got pulled over, in the taxi, and these guys came out with a badge, a police badge, no lights, no nothing just a police badge and they pulled us over," Lochte told NBC Newson Sunday.
"They pulled out their guns, they told the other swimmers to get down on the ground they got down on the ground. I refused, I was like we didn"t do anything wrong, so I"m not getting down on the ground.
"And then the guy pulled out his gun, he cocked it, put it to my forehead and he said, "Get down."
Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger were also in the vehicle with Lochte and Feigen, all four celebrating the completion of an Olympic Games where they each took home a gold medal, at Club France.
Bentz spoke about the frightening attack on Twitter Sunday, writing: "We are all safe. Thank you for your love and support. P.s. the gold medal is safe."
Better days: Gunnar Bentz and Feigen at the US Swimming Trials in July after qualifying for the Olympics
Practice makes perfect: Jack Conger and Lochte at training camp just before the Olympics
Party:Lochte shared a video on Snapchat in the early hours of Sunday morning just before the alleged robbery at Club France with Jimmy Feigen (above)
Sneakerheads: Lochte showed off the expensive footwear being worn by the group Sunday, which was not taken in the alleged robbery (above)
The United States Olympic Committee confirmed the robbery took place Sunday, along with Lochte"s claim that it was carried out by fake police officers.
One of the swimmers also reported the crime to authorities shortly after the group was robbed.
"According to four members of the U.S. Olympic Swimming Team (Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger, Jimmy Feigen and Ryan Lochte), they left France House early Sunday morning in a taxi headed for the Olympic Village," USOC spokesperson Patrick Sandusky said in a statement.
"Their taxi was stopped by individuals posing as armed police officers who demanded the athletes" money and other personal belongings. All four athletes are safe and cooperating with authorities."
That statement came after a spokesperson for the International Olympic Committee told members of the media that Lochte and his teammates were lying about the robbery on Sunday afternoon.
The IOC then backtracked on their denial that the incident took place, saying they do not know specifics of the situation.
Hands up: Lochte detailed what allegedly happened in an interview with NBC on Sunday
The incident was first reported byFox Sports, who spoke to the star swimmer"s mother.
Lochte"s mother, Ileana, told the network it was "terrifying" and she had rushed from her hotel to meet her son.
Team USA"s Jenn Suhr told Fox Sports "it definitely would have been terrifying" for Lochte and his teammates.
"I"m just glad they"re safe... when you"re in another country you don"t know of, it"s not the smartest idea to go places you"re unsure of," she said.
Lochte popped up on Snapchat just before the robbery at around 2am to post a video of heavily graffitied Rio sidewalk, possibly taken from a taxi.
He followed up with an obscure photo of four sets of feet, presumably one set of his own, with the message "6kdeep".
The caption, perhaps a reference to how much their smart footwear was collectively worth, could been seen by anyone following his movements on Snapchat.
The black shoes that two of the people in the shot were wearing appeared to be Adidas Yeezy Boost 350s, which are listed online as costing about $1,500.
None of those items were stolen either in the robbery.
Finally at 2:25am Lochte posted a video of himself and Brazilian swimmer Thiago Pereira inside a nightclub, panning around to show the crowd and light display.
Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3745412/Day-late-swimmer-short-Judge-orders-Ryan-Lochte-remain-Rio-questioning-robbery-case-no-evidence-crime-US.html
