Police in Rio de Janeiro accused U.S. Olympics swimmers Ryan Lochte and Jimmy Feigen of filing a false police report over an incident at a gas station, but Deborah Srour, an attorney who has practiced in Brazil for 25 years, said the two swimmers’ actions do not constitute a crime based on a strict reading of the Brazilian penal code, USA Today reports. “This crime only happens when you go to the police and you make a report, you file a report,’’ said Srour. “This did not happen.’’
Feigen paid $11,000 to be donated to a charity in order to not face charges. Srour said any case against Lochte could very well be dismissed with the help of a local attorney. She said Brazilian courts are notorious for pursuing cases such as Lochte’s if charges are filed and that authorities could use Interpol and other international organizations to complicate his overseas travel. Lochte has apologized for asserting that the swimmers were robbed by people impersonating police, but USA Today says details of the incident remain murky.