Hickey Formally Charged in Brazil

(ATR) Patrick Hickey has been formally charged with multiple crimes in Brazil.

Prosecutor Marcos Kac signed an indictment today officially charging Hickey with selling tickets for the purpose of touting, false advertising, fraud, money laundering and tax evasion. Kevin Mallon, an executive for THG was charged alongside Hickey. Mallon was arrested on Aug. 5 for selling tickets allocated to the Olympic Council of Ireland, and Hickey was arrested on Aug. 17.

Hickey has stepped aside from his role as OCI president in the wake of his arrest in Rio. He also stepped aside from his other Olympic family roles including his IOC membership, IOC Executive Board seat, and vice-presidency of the Association of National Olympic Committees.

Both spent time in Bangu prison outside of Rio de Janeiro before a judge granted their release as the investigation continues. A Brazilian judge must now accept the charges from the prosecutor before a trial begins for Hickey and Mallon.

THG owner Marcus Evans was charged in the suit, along with executives from the company Pro 10, which served as the authorized ticket reseller for the OCI during Rio 2016.

Neither lawyer for Hickey or Mallon returned requests for comment about the charges.

Rio civil police told local media that they found 45 companies in Brazil, Europe, the United States and Asia with connections to both Hickey and Evans with the intent to launder money. The 45 companies are part of 52 total companies under THG used to sell tickets for large sporting events. Police said that they found no illegality with seven of the companies.

Police say that the companies laundered $113.63 million in the last nine years.

In addition, the civil police told Brazilian media that they intend to call IOC President Thomas Bach in for questioning in Brazil. Requests for comment from the IOC were not returned.

Brazilian authorities brought Patrick Hickey in for questioning today and Kevin Mallon in yesterday. Both invoked their constitutional right to remain silent according to the Brazilian police.Hickey’s family released a statement confirming his silence. His family says Hickey would not speak to the police due to the release of "documents to the media that Pat’s lawyers have had no access to."

"The police have other ways to investigate the case without necessarily count on the collaboration of the accused," Ricardo Barboza, an investigator in the Major Events Unit, told O Globo. "We have already gathered a good amount of evidence."

Written by Aaron Bauer in Rio de Janeiro

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