Ronaldinho set for release after plea deal

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Asuncion, Aug 8 (IANS) Ronaldinho and his brother Roberto Assis could be released from custody within days after having striking a plea deal with Paraguayan investigators.

Paraguay's public prosecutor's office on Friday asked for proceedings against the men to be suspended pending a final court hearing, according to their lawyer Sergio Queiroz, reports Xinhua news agency.

Ronaldinho and Assis have been detained since early March for allegedly entering the South American country with fake passports.

In April, the pair were relocated to the four-star Palmaroga Hotel in the capital Asuncion after agreeing to pay $1.6 million in bail.

"It was recognised by the public prosecutor's office that there is no crime of a financial or related nature in relation to Ronaldo and Roberto," Queiroz said.

"After five long months, they have demonstrated exactly what we defended since the beginning: the use of altered public documents without the knowledge of the defendants."

Under terms of the plea bargain, Ronaldinho agreed to a $90,000 fine and must report to a federal judge in Brazil every three months for two years.

Assis was ordered to pay $110,000 and will not be allowed to leave Brazil over a two-year period.

Ronaldinho and Assis traveled to Paraguay on March 4 to participate in a children's charity event and promote a new book. They were arrested later that day on accusations of using fake passports.

The pair have denied any wrongdoing and said they were presented with the documents as a "gift" upon arriving in Asuncion.

Ronaldinho retired from football in 2018 after a career that included spells at Gremio, Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona, Milan and Atletico Mineiro, among other clubs. He was a part of the Brazil team that won the 2002 World Cup and was twice voted the FIFA world player of the year.

--IANS

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