April 8 – Former Brazil and Barcelona star Ronaldinho, detained in Paraguay after an investigation into the use of fake passports to enter the country, has been released but will remain under house arrest in the country.
The Brazilian celebrated his 40th birthday playing a kickabout against prison inmates and eating roast pig in a Paraguayan jail, but on Tuesday Judge Gustavo Amarilla announced the ruling, explaining that Ronaldinho and his brother Roberto had each paid a bond of $800,000, deemed to be an amount large enough to prevent them being a flight risk.
They are currently staying in a hotel while they await trial.
On March 4, Ronaldinho and Roberto, were arrested by Paraguay’s national police. “Ronaldinho and his brother entered the country at 9.05 am on a commercial flight which landed at Silvio Petirossi International Airport. They entered using a Paraguayan passport which was authentic but contained false information,” said public prosecutor Federico Delfino in a Facebook post at the time.
“We now know that the numbers of these passports belong to other people. They are real passports but with fake details. They were issued in January 2020, and the ID cards, which were given to them when they arrived, in December.”
Ronaldinho won the FIFA World Player of the Year in both 2004 and 2005, but the Brazilian gradually fell from grace as his career suffered from his off-the-field exploits.
Last year, the player reportedly had his Brazilian and Spanish passports confiscated over unpaid taxes. Nonetheless, Ronaldinho was still named as one of Brazil’s new ambassadors for tourism.
In 2018, the Brazilian retired from the game. He won the World Cup with Brazil in 2002 in Japan and South Korea. At FC Barcelona, he triumphed twice in La Liga and he helped the club to win the Champions League in 2006.
Contact the writer of this story, Samindra Kunti, at moc.l1713455414labto1713455414ofdlr1713455414owedi1713455414sni@o1713455414fni1713455414