Brazilian Police Say No Lochte Robbery Took Place

At a press conference Wednesday afternoon, Rio Chief of Civil Police Fernando Veloso said that Ryan Lochte and three other US swimmers were not robbed, as they originally claimed.

“There were a lot of contradictions since the beginning,” Veloso said.

Veloso confirmed that “one or all” of the swimmers is suspected to have vandalized a bathroom inside of a gas station damaging mirrors and other items.

He added that the swimmers tried to pay for the damage with $20 US, and 100 Brazilian Reais. Veloso claims that one of the swimmers, whom he did not name, confirmed this account.

“There was no kind of violence that took place at the gas station,” Veloso said, adding that, “It’s very improbable that a reasonable person could consider this a robbery.”

But then, Veloso admitted that security guards at the gas station did use a gun.

“In theory, one or all of them might be charged with false communication of a crime,” Veloso said.

Veloso singled out Lochte as being particularly angry during the incident, as he was highly intoxicated.

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