The investigation into an apparent robbery attempt on Ryan Lochte and three other USA swimmers in Rio de Janeiro took a shocking turn Wednesday.
Hours after a judge called for the passports of Lochte and Jimmy Feigen to be seized, Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz were removed from a plane and are being held at the airport as doubts continue to rise about whether the swimmers are telling the full story of the alleged incident that took place during the Rio Olympics.
BREAKING: The other 2 USA swimmers who say they were w Lochte during robbery have just been pulled off their plane at Rio airport.
— Peter Alexander (@PeterAlexander) August 18, 2016
More: Gunnar Bentz & Jack Conger were not named by Brazilian judge who wanted Lochte & Feigen's passports seized but now they are in limbo.
— Peter Alexander (@PeterAlexander) August 18, 2016
To be clear, Ryan Lochte is back in US, Jimmy Feigen is still in Brazil. All this reporting confirmed by NBC Sports.
— Peter Alexander (@PeterAlexander) August 18, 2016
“We can confirm that Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz were removed from their flight to the United States by Brazilian authorities,” U.S. Olympic Committee spokesman Patrick Sandusky said in a statement, via NBC News. “We are gathering further information.”
The four swimmers allegedly were in a cab heading back to the Olympic village when people dressed as police officers pulled the vehicle over and robbed them at gunpoint. But the judge found key differences between the stories Lochte and Feigen told and ordered them to stay in the country, according to NBC News. However, Lochte’s attorney told NBC News the swimmer already is back in the United States.
Thumbnail photo via Erich Schlegel/USA TODAY Sports Images
