The U.S. Olympic swimmers who told police that they were robbed at gunpoint by bandits posing as police officers fabricated the account, Brazilians authorities concluded after watching surveillance video and interviewing witnesses.
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The swimmers – who include Ryan Lochte, a 12-time Olympic medalist, second all-time behind Michael Phelps – apparently manufactured the story to alibi an altercation at a Rio de Janeiro gas staion in the early hours of Sunday morning, in which a bathroom door was badly damaged.
Brazilian police detained two U.S. swimmers and arrested a top International Olympic Committee official on Wednesday casting doubt on their initial story. Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz were taken off a flight leaving Rio de Janeiro by authorities investigating doubts over their claim of having been mugged.
Conger and Bentz, along with star U.S. swimmer Ryan Lochte and squad member James Feigen, said they were held up at gunpoint in the early hours of Sunday. In interviews, Lochte described how he had a hand gun put to his head and handed over his money and wallet.
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However, Brazilian judge Keyla Blank ordered the passports of all four to be seized to prevent them leaving the country. Lochte had already gone home.
Bentz and Conger returned to the U.S. early on friday morning.
Feigen agreed to pay $US 11,000 to charity to settle the dispute and avoid being prosectued for the incident by Brazilian authorities.
The judge said that there were a number of inconsistencies in the swimmers' allegations, particularly over the number of people involved in the robbery and the time that it took place and when they arrived back at the athletes' village.
NBC quoted witnesses as saying the swimmers were at the party until daybreak.
And Britain's Daily Mail obtained video surveillance showing the four laughing as they returned to their accommodations at 6:56am on Sunday.
Speaking to NBC late Wednesday, Lochte strongly denied that the swimmers fabricated their story.
"I wouldn't make up a story like this nor would the others -- as a matter of fact we all feel it makes us look bad," he was quoted as saying.
The U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) said on Thursday that three of the swimmers who remain in Brazil would be helping police with their investigation, after authorities stopped two of them leaving the country the previous day.