According to local sources, Ronaldinho didn’t participate in a congressional hearing on a pyramid scheme probe allegedly linked to one of his companies. The former Paris Saint-Germain, F.C Barcelona and AC Milan star ignored a subpoena for a second time on Aug 24, citing adverse weather conditions.
Congressman Aureo Ribeiro said Ronaldinho will have another opportunity to participate in the hearing on August 31. In the event that Ronaldinho cannot appear, the authorities will temporarily arrest for investigation.
Witnesses subpoenaed to appear before Congress have a duty to do so, as per Brazilian. Those who don’t comply can be fined and forced to appear before Congress by the police.
The police are opening an investigation into the venture “18kRonaldinho” of Ronaldinho. The company is said to have promised to pay large profits to its customers through investing in cryptocurrencies. It is also facing a lawsuit seeking more than $61 million for not fulfilling its promise to return profits to customers.
Ronaldinho’s lawyer argued that he was only the “ambassador” of the company, and also a victim of fraud. They allege that Ronaldinho’s image and reputation were illegally used to deceive potential clients without the proper authorization.
Although he is a football legend, this is the first time Ronaldinho faces legal charges. In 2020, Ronaldinho and his brother Roberto de Assis were arrested in Paraguay for entering with fake passports and spent more than 170 days serving sentences. Assis is also involved in the ongoing crypto investigation.