Paraguay police detain Ronaldinho, allege false passport

ASUNCION, Paraguay (AP) — Former soccer star Ronaldinho has been detained by Paraguayan police for allegedly entering the country with a falsified passport.

Police raided the Brazil star’s hotel room on Wednesday night and prosecutors said they found Paraguayan passports that had been falsified with data of Ronaldinho and his brother.

Prosecutor Federico Delfino said the brothers left Brazil using passports of that country, but entered Paraguay on Wednesday morning using Paraguayan documents.

“They are original passports, but with apocryphal data,” Delfino said.

He added Ronaldinho told investigators the people who brought him gave him the documents. Ronaldinho was in Paraguay to help a local foundation campaign for children’s health.

The player was testifying before the country’s organized crime unit on Thursday.

Delfino said prosecutors have until late Thursday to decide if they will bring charges.

Ronaldinho won the 2002 World Cup with Brazil, the Champions League with Barcelona, the Copa Libertadores with Atletico Mineiro, the Ballon d’Or and two FIFA player of the year awards before retiring in 2015.