Ronaldinho, brother jailed over ‘fake’ passports
Former Barcelona and AC Milan forward Ronaldinho and his brother have been jailed for allegedly attempting to enter the country with ‘adulterated’ documents
Ronaldinho has spent the night in a police cell after being dramatically arrested following a U-turn by Paraguayan prosecutors over his use of an adulterated passport.
The former Barcelona and AC Milan star was told on Thursday after an eight-hour grilling that he would not face trial for entering the country with a falsified Paraguayan passport showing he was a naturalised citizen.
But his hopes of returning home a free man were frustrated last night when prosecution chiefs reversed an earlier decision to offer him a plea bargain deal and police formally arrested him and his brother Roberto at the Sheraton Hotel in the capital Asuncion.
They spent the night in a police cell and now face a second quiz expected to take place today.
In a new development to the rollercoaster case a prosecutor specialising in financial crimes was brought into the ongoing probe, sparking local speculation the investigation would now be widened to look into possible money laundering.
A Brazilian businessman named as Wilmondes Sousa Lira who has been accused of providing Ronaldinho and his brother with the adulterated passports they used to get into Paraguay, was arrested on Wednesday and has been remanded in prison.
Two Paraguayan women thought to be the legitimate owners of the passports modified to show the former footballer and his brother as the holders, were also held.
Ronaldinho was arrested after a judge refused to rubber-stamp the deal announced by prosecutors on Thursday, which involved the Brazilian co-operating with authorities and admitting to using an adulterated passport to get into Paraguay to escape trial and ‘get off’ with a fine.
He now faces an extended period of time on remand in prison if the courts decide he is a flight risk and decide against bailing him.
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A spokesman for Paraguay’s General Attorney’s office, confirming the prosecution U-turn in a statement, said last night/on Friday night: “Paraguay’s General Attorney’s Office has rectified its position.