Brazilian football icon Ronaldinho Gaúcho is walking on thin ice, having avoided a second summons to testify before the Brazilian Congress. The probe revolves around a cryptocurrency investment scam linked to ’18kRonaldinho,’ a company promising over 2% daily returns to its investors. Initially scheduled for August 24, Ronaldinho’s congressional hearing was derailed due to the ‘unfavorable weather conditions’ he cited.
This justification having no legal basis, it falls to this parliamentary inquiry committee to seek legal means and, unfortunately, coercive conduct is a necessary measure in this case.
Deputy Ricardo Silva
According to Deputy Aureo Ribeiro, the former star of F.C. Barcelona, AC Milan, and Paris Saint-Germain has until August 31 to comply. Failure to do so could lead to his forced appearance by law enforcement, in accordance with Brazilian law that stipulates summoned witnesses must testify.
Football Star or Fraudster: The Crypto Connection
The company ’18kRonaldinho’ is at the center of a $61 million lawsuit seeking damages for not delivering on its promises of high returns. This case now ties into a broader investigation focusing on cryptocurrency scams in Brazil. Ronaldinho’s legal representation argues that he was merely an ‘ambassador’ for the company. They claim that his image and name were used without proper authorization to entice potential investors. Adding another layer to the multifaceted legal entanglement, Ronaldinho also has a collection of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) launched in 2021 with INFLUXO.
