Turns out that U.S. Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte’s story that he’d been robbed in Rio was made up.
“No robbery was committed against these athletes. They were not victims of the crimes they claimed,” said Rio’s chief of civil police Fernando Veloso at a news conference Thursday.
Police said they had evidence that Lochte and fellow swimmers Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger and Jimmy Feigen vandalized a gas station in a suburb of Rio after a late night out partying, and that their escapades couldn’t be interpreted as a robbery, the Los Angeles Times reported.
None of the men has been charged with a crime, however, in an investigation that’s ongoing.
Apparently, one of the swimmers kicked down a locked bathroom door, then became belligerent when workers there asked them to pay damages. After an argument ensued, the athletes handed over their wallets and left before police arrived.
The incident was captured in video footage that discounts the swimmers’ original story.
A representative from the U.S. Olympic Committee told People: “We are reaching out to Ryan to ask him to set the record straight and be completely upfront with what happened. … Nothing happened that can’t be fixed, but everyone needs to be on the same page.”
BYE BYE GAWKER.COM
Gawker.com, known for its wild style of journalism, is going away.
The closure comes with reports that Univision is buying its parent company, Gawker Media (the digital news startup founded by Nick Denton) for $135 million.
Some folks aren’t likely sad about the news, including former pro wrestler Hulk Hogan, whose invasion of privacy lawsuit sent Gawker Media into bankruptcy.
Hogan, aka Terry Bollea, filed suit against Gawker after it published a portion of his sex tape in 2012. A Florida jury awarded him $140.1 million in damages earlier this year.
Hogan’s suit was financed by Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel, also a target of Gawker’s coverage.
There’s a bit of good news for Gawker.com workers, who were told they will still have jobs — possibly at some of the company’s sister sites, including Jezebel, Gizmodo and Deadspin. Classy journalism lives on!
QUICK TAKES
Public art in the form of 74 cool lamppost banners created for the Arts Alive Ingleside project (installed in June between Manor Drive and Phelan Avenue) are on sale (starting at $100) in an online auction continuing through noon Aug. 31; to bid, visit www.artsaliveingleside.org. … Champion eater Joey Chestnut is slated to challenge Matt Stonie at 2 p.m. Saturday at a taco eating contest at Chacho’s Taco Festival in San Jose’s St. James Park.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Actor Matthew Perry is 47. … Singer Lee Ann Womack is 50. … Actress Kyra Sedgwick is 51. … Actor John Stamos is 53. … Actor Peter Gallagher is 61. … President Bill Clinton is 70. … Actress Jill St. John is 76. … Drummer Ginger Baker of Cream is 77.
— Staff and wire reports
Arts Alive Ingleside. Joey ChestnutGawker.comGunnar BentzHulk HoganJack CongerJimmy FeigenNick DentonRyan Lochtetaco eating contestUnivision
