An Associated Press report says Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz have confirmed that the story of a gunpoint robbery in Rio was fabricated.
Conger and Bentz were with Jimmy Feigen and Ryan Lochte early Sunday morning when Lochte said they were robbed at gunpoint.
But Brazilian police have alleged that no robbery took place, but that the four were involved in an altercation at a gas station that led to damages to the gas station bathroom.
Conger and Bentz were pulled off of their airplane home from Rio to speak to police about the incident. And now the Associated Press is reporting that the two confirmed that the robbery story was made up.
According to the AP report, Lochte first lied about the robbery when speaking to his mother. She then told the story to reporters, which is when the story became widely reported in the media.
Brazilian police say the swimmers stopped at the gas station to use the bathroom, but broke the door upon finding it locked. There are allegations of other damages to the bathroom as well. The swimmers were confronted by a security guard who was armed, though there are conflicting reports as to whether or not he took out his gun while dealing with the swimmers. You can read several of the differing accounts here.
Lochte is currently back in the United States, while the other three remain in Brazil until the situation is resolved.
There is full security camera footage of the swimmers at the gas station here, courtesy of Globo TV. Here’s a couple embedded videos of the security cam footage:
All four are scumbags and should be kicked out of USA swimming. It’s unimaginable for the so called gold medalist winners to fabricate such smear campaign against the host nation Brazil! Comparing to the so called medal achievement, such despicable behaviour shows the real poor souls behind those medals. It also demonstrates the embarrassing coaching leadership from Bob and Marsh. It’s a total disgrace in front of the whole world.
Dear Ryan Lochte, not only are you digging a personal public relation’s grave but appear to willingly drag the youngest swimmers who use to look up to you into your grave. Be a real man, tell the real truth (aka no bullsh#t) and stand up enough to help Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz salvage their reputations!!! And if you do stand up for Jack and Gunnar, let’s not forget the gas station attendants, security officers and Rio for welcomed apologies!!
#FREETHEGUNNYBUNNY
I watched the video. Hardly looks like a robbery to me. Lochte blew it big time. Should have just kept his mouth shut with his mom. Over 1000 other swimmers who competed at Olympic Trials would have loved the chance to just compete at the Olympic Games and here is this 32-yr-old teenage boy acting like a horse’s butt. You disrespected your country, Ryan Lochte. It’s time to grow up. Heck, even those horrible neon sparkly green sneakers and the teeth grill on the awards podium a couple of Olympics ago were better than this.
When will it emerge finally that Victor P is, in fact, Ryan Lochte?
Funny, your moniker. Truth in advertising, right?
Which part of Lochte’s interview with Matt Lauer doesn’t stand up to the probity of the video? Tell me, where in that video did ANY of our boys do something wrong?
I’m still waiting for the smoking gun on Lochte & company’s guilt. The video depicts a robbery. Plain and simple. They weren’t playing romper room and they didn’t have their hands raised up to 2 “security” guards off camera because it was the “fashionable” thing to do. You go through something like that and it can be traumatizing. They were NOT “joking around” in the video footage showing them returning to the Olympic village. Also, conspicuously, almost 5 days late but the… Read more »
Or his mom
Exactly. Or dad.
Ok, they weren’t very adult like that night, but they were coerced to surrender money by a guy with a gun (according to ABC news to be about $400.00). Supposedly the police were called but they never showed. Were they called? Did the gas station give them a receipt for their compensation? There’s a strong legal argument they were indeed robbed, or at least blackmailed. Obviously there’s also a strong argument they were less than telling the whole truth. I sentence them to 20 x 400 IM. And compensating the gas station.
Patrick, there isn’t even evidence that they vandalized the place. Ask yourself this – these are 4 top level athletes who have a good reputation – Lochte may be a little slow on occasion, but he very clearly knows what would happen to his name, his career, heck even his freedom if he were to either a.) resort to something as stupid as vandalism and b.) resort to lying about being robbed in Rio (which, BTW, also happened to the Aussie and the Brit swimmers!). Furthermore, hard to believe 1 guy showing horrible judgment and even more so 4.
Add to that the fact that Brazilian authorities have themselves verifiably lied about the incident. This is so clear cut a… Read more »
This is a international incident, but we don’t have any photos of the wrecked bathroom. A broken mirror, soap dispenser and a door off the hinges? Sounds par for the course at most rest stop gas stations along the I-95. They were shaken down at gunpoint for cash. That’s not being robbed or mugged? Can’t find the cabbie, none of the employees at the gas station would cooperate to be interviewed and no witnesses would give a statement. Where’s all the outraged people who witnessed this rising up to defend Barzil’s pride?
And lastly, where does any of the video impeach what these guys said. They were mugged at gunpoint.
I think Conger and Benz were shaken down to… Read more »
the yahoo guy took a tour of the gas station and showed it. It looked sorta trashed but it probably looks the same 365 days a year its your typical crap hole gas station bathroom. The door was busted off and they showed where a sign was taken of the wall behind the gas station and you can see one of the boys doing something with the same sign in the original video
Ryan Lochte will now be remembered for this lie, not the 12 Olympic medals he won in the pool. Someone needs to remind Lochte that lying is bad for the soul.
It would be nice, here, if they showed the entire video. They cut it off before you see the guys at the end of a darkened area with their hands up as they sit on the ground. Why would their hands be up if there was no weapon? Sorry, there is more to this story.
There is. Right here: https://twitter.com/jmktv