Ronaldinho arrested in Paraguay in false passport case

Former soccer star Ronaldinho is escorted by police to go before Judge Mirko Valinotti at the Justice Palace court in Asuncion, Paraguay, Friday, March 6, 2020. Ronaldinho has been detained by Paraguayan police for allegedly entering the country with a falsified passport. (AP Photo/Jorge Saenz)

SAO PAULO — Football star Ronaldinho was arrested Friday night in a hotel in Paraguay’s capital after authorities said he entered the country with falsified documents.

The 39-year-old Brazilian and his brother, Roberto Assis, were taken to a police station in Asunción shortly before 10 p.m. local time, Paraguay’s prosecutors office said in a statement.

Ronaldinho’s lawyer Sérgio Queiroz confirmed the arrest to The Associated Press and said his legal team in Paraguay has filed an injunction to release the former footballer and his brother.

Shortly before the arrests Queiroz told the AP the 2002 World Cup winner and former Barcelona star was preparing to take a flight back to Rio de Janeiro, where he lives.

Ronaldinho and Assis testified for six hours earlier about the false Paraguayan documents found in their possession on Wednesday. The Brazilians said they had come to Asunción for business reasons.

The former footballer and his brother said the documents were offered as a gift by a Brazilian businessmen, Wilmondes Sousa Liria, who has already been jailed.