Former Barcelona star Ronaldinho and his brother have been arrested in Paraguay for using fake passports.
As reported by Marca, the police raided the famed Brazilian’s hotel room where he was subsequently arrested and will now face a hearing.
The fake passport shows the former star’s correct name, birthplace, and birthdate, but it falsely prints that he is a naturalised citizen of Paraguay.
His trip to the South American nation was to promote the charity “La Fundación Angelical,” which provides medical assistance to low-income children, while he was was also going to present his book Genio de la vida (Genius of life).
Last summer, as Diario AS outlined, the former forward had 57 properties seized and owes more than €2m to the Brazilian state over unpaid taxes and fines, while his Brazilian and Spanish passports were confiscated.
Local media outlet Folha de Sao Paulo is cited as describing how Ronaldinho was fined was fined €2.2m for illegally building a pier at his lake house in the city of Porto Alegre.
However, alongside this environmental fine there is a further €1.8m fine in other debts, such as council taxes, which are being pursued by creditors.
The report adds that the former footballer’s debts are accumulating and there is also a new added demand that is being processed by the Office of the National Attorney General of Brazil for €184k.
