refused to pay for the damage and when told the police were coming said that if they went to jail 'America would be mad'

One eyewitness said that the swimmers

A security guard did pull a gun on the men but only when two tried to leave the scene before police arrived, and eventually the group was allowed to take off when they handed over approximately $50

One of the men also admitted that the group caused damage to a gas station bathroom and that there was a clash led by a 'highly intoxicated' Lochte

came after Brazilian authorities had spoke with US swimmers Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger who confessed to lying about the robbery


Brazilian authorities have confirmed that Ryan Lochte lied about being robbed at gunpoint early Sunday, and police have recommended he and teammate James Feigen be indicted for the false reporting of a crime.

The news of possible charges against Lochte, which must be decided by a prosecutor, came after a dramatic press conference on Thursday afternoon in which Police Inspector Alexandre Braga said:

Ryan Lochte, Jimmy Feigen, Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger were not robbed and were not the victims of a crime at a gas station in Barra da Tijuca shortly after 6am on Sunday

The men were seen on video camera urinating on a wall and then causing destruction and vandalism to the bathroom at the establishment

There was then a clash between the group and employees, which Bentz or Conger told authorities on Thursday was led by a 'highly intoxicated' Lochte, something other witnesses confirmed

Their cab driver was told by employees to not leave and that police were being called to the scene, at which point two of the men began to walk away and a security guard pulled his gun telling them to stay

The men eventually paid employees at the gas station $20 and 100 reais (approximately $30) and were allowed to leave the scene

Police have spoken to Bentz and Conger as well as Lochte on the phone and they will be speaking to Feigen later in the day on Thursday, the FBI ha also said they are willing to work with Brazilian authorities

The men were with two women whose identities are unknown and police believe this may have been their motive in hiding what happened since they could have girlfriends

The judge who allowed the swimmers to be held for questioning will determine when they can leave the country, but as far as police are concerned Bentz and Conger are free to go

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Coming clean: Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz (above being escorted into a police station on Thursday) told police that their robbery story had been fabricated during questioning on Thursday

It all begins: The night started out at 1:47am for Lochte and his crew (above) when they were seen on time-stamped video entering the Club France

Moving on: Despite claims that they left the club around 3am, it was not until 5:47am that a time-stamped video showed Lochte and his fellow swimmers exiting Club France (above)

Problems arise: At 6:08am this time-stamped video caught the men as they rushed away from the bathroom at a gas station and ran to their car

Paying up: One of the swimmers is then seen taking what appears to be a wallet out and possibly handing over money (above) at the gas station at 6:12am

Altercation: In another frame from the gas station surveillance, Lochte (bottom right) appears to be walking away from an argument while two other swimmers appear to stay back to speak

Task at hand: The men make it to the Olympic Village at 6:57am and go through the security checkpoint on their way to their dorm

Making memories: At 7:03am the men make a quick stop by the Olympic rings in order to snap a few photographs (above)

Safe and sound: At 7:12am the men finally make their way to their dorm and turn in for the evening after a long night out (above)

That press conference was held after members of law enforcement spoke with Conger, Bentz and the driver of their cab that Sunday.

The swimmers both told police that they fabricated claims that they and their Olympic teammates Lochte and Feigen were robbed at a gas station by men pretending to police.

Instead, one of the swimmers confirmed that actual sequence of events, which involved the men causing damage to the gas station bathroom and then being asked to wait for police to arrive on the scene.

Two of the men then tried to flee, at which point a security guard pulled out a gun so they would stay. The men then handed over some money and were on the way.

One big mystery remains however, as it pertains to the identity of the two women who were with the men prior to the incident.

Friends of Lochte are now mounting a defense of the swimmer, and even claiming that his version of events will be proven essentially true.

Sources close to his camp told DailyMail.com that Thursday's press conference was 'riddled with inconsistencies'.

They offered no suggestion that Lochte would apologize or back down about the incident which now threatens to tarnish his reputation as the U.S.'s second most-decorated Olympic swimmer ever.

In particular sources close to the Lochte camp said there were just short of three minutes of the time he spent in the gas station missing from the security footage released by police

A source said it was a 'highly significant' omission, and said it was therefore unclear what had happened between 6.09.32 and 6.12.03.

The source also highlighted a series of what they said were other inconsistencies in how police characterized what had happened.

The source suggested that in the course of today the police had altered their story on the use of guns during the incident.

'First they said no guns, then two guns, then that they weren't used, then that they were used,' the source said.

Lochte's central assertion, the source said, is that he had a gun pointed at him by someone he thought was a robber posing as police, and handed over money.

The Lochte camp tells DailyMail.com that the police version of events has broad vindication of that theme: that he did have a gun pointed at him; that someone was wearing a uniform; and that the group handed over money.

SUNDAY TIMELINE (LOCHTE) 3:00am: Lochte says he leaves Club France around this time and hails a cab with his teammates to return to the Olympic Village. 3:30am: Lochte says that the can that is taking the group home is side-swiped and driven off the road, at which point a group of men dressed like officers approach the vehicle. They point a gun at his head and demand he get to the ground. 4:00am: Lochte and Feigen tell police that they arrive back at the Olympic Village. Advertisement

SUNDAY TIMELINE (POLICE) 5:47am: Lochte is seen leaving Club France in a time-stamped surveillance video with his four fellow teammates. 6:05am: Lochte and his teammates are seen in time-stamped footage at a gas station where the group vandalize a bathroom and two of the men try to flee when a guard calls police. He pulls a gun to make them stay, they pay for damage and leave. 7:00am: The men arrive back at the Olympic Village in a time-stamped video. Advertisement

A woman who witnessed the event spoke to People and said that she saw the men leave the bathroom and then ignore workers as they tried to get them to stop and pay, saying they owed them money for the damage the caused to the facility.

'One of them said that they hadn't done nothing wrong, and that the gas station was trying to get money from Americans,' said the woman Bruna Castro-Ruiz.

'He said that they were in the Olympics and that they hadn't done anything wrong. I don't know his name. He said that if they went to jail, that America would be mad.'

Catro-Ruiz said that the security guard only pulled out the gun so that the men would not leave the scene before police came, and then eventually handed over some money.

Lochte has yet to comment on Thursday, but did post a video of himself laughing and smiling on social media while singing 'Happy Birthday' to fellow swimmer Elizabeth Beisel.

He posted the video on Instagram around 11:30am and took it down a little over an hour later.

On Wednesday, Lochte insisted that he stood by his version of events, telling NBC’s Matt Lauer he really was robbed in a phone conversation.

He did however change his story to say that a gun was never pointed at his head and that fake police did not side-swipe the cab he and his friends were in to get them to pull over.

That version of events differs drastically however from what once source told DailyMail.com.

'They stopped at a gas station and they were all really drunk. They went to the toilet and damaged it pretty badly,' said the source.

‘The security guy saw them and started arguing with them - telling them they had to pay. They refused and argued back.'

Eventually however the men 'gave him some money and left' claims the source.

Conger, 21, and Bentz, 20, were already seated aboard United Airlines flight 128 to Houston at Rio's Galeao International Airport on Wednesday when police came for them and removed them from the flight to ask them further questions about the events of Sunday.

The two were told by authorizes that they could not leave Brazil until they provided official sworn testimony about their alleged mugging at gunpoint along with Lochte and fourth teammate, Jimmy Feigen.

United States Olympic Committee spokesperson Patrick Sandusky said in a statement on Thursday morning: 'The three U.S. Olympic swimmers (Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger and James Feigen) are cooperating with authorities and in the process of scheduling a time and place today to provide further statements to the Brazilian authorities.

'All are represented by counsel and being appropriately supported by the USOC and the U.S. Consulate in Rio.'

Time to go: Bentz (above) is seen leaving the police station in Rio on Thursday after a long day of questioning

Not an ideal Olympic experience: Conger (above) also made his way out of the police station, though it is not clear if the men can leave the country at this time

Scene of the non-crime: The gas station were Lochte and his fellow Olympians claimed they were robbed (above)

Destruction: A mark shows on the right side of the side of the building (above) from where an advertising sign used to hang, which Lochte and his fellow swimmers are accused of tearing down

Out of order: The door that Lochte and the swimmers are accused of breaking (above with sign) and the inside of the bathroom they allegedly destroyed

On Wednesday morning, Lochte, 32, and Feigen, 26, were barred from leaving Brazil - but Lochte had already left - as police first revealed that the swimmers' accounts of the aftermath of the robbery do not match security footage which was exclusively obtained by DailyMail.com.

When contacted by the San Antonio Express on Wednesday, Feigen said: 'I can’t talk right now, I’m being s***stormed right now. I’m still in Brazil and [an interview] is going to have to wait.'

He spoke again to the paper on Thursday, saying: 'It sounds like people assume we’re guilty.'

Upon leaving police custody early on Thursday morning, Conger and Bentz refused to answer questions.

According to the United States Olympic Committee, 26-year-old Feigen 'intends to make further statements regarding the incident on Thursday as well.'

Conger and Bentz had spent more than three hours being interrogated by the Federal Police on Wednesday night before they were allowed to leave at 1:44am local time on Thursday.

Journalists asked them repeatedly if they had lied or whether they stood by the story but the pair remained silent.

Dave Fogelson, a spokesman for the US Consulate, ushered them towards an awaiting black mini-van but the pair were met by a media scrum and appeared bemused by the scene.

'We are just here to provide consular assistance,' Fogelson said. 'Due to privacy considerations we cannot give any more information but refer to Brazilian authorities in this matter for any more information.'

Lochte's attorney, Jeff Ostrow, told CNN that his client and his three teammates were being targeted by embarrassed authorities for shining a light on Rio's endemic crime problem.

'When you have one of America's athletes who comes out and said something happened to him that happens to people there every single day,' said Ostrow.

'That doesn't look good for a country trying to have a successful Olympics.'

Having fun: Lochte posted a video wishing swimmer Elizabeth Beisel a happy birthday on Thursday morning

Awful timing: The post came at the same time that his three teammates were being detained in Rio

Back home: Ryan Lochte smiled for a photo with a flight attendant in Charlotte on Wednesday morning (above) as he was spotted back in the US for the first time

Indeed, while speaking to NBC's Matt Lauer on Wednesday night, Lochte stuck to his claim they were robbed but changed certain, crucial elements.

Lochte backed off some of his earlier assertions. He now says the taxi wasn't pulled over but that they were robbed of $400 after making a stop at a gas station.

He also said the assailant pointed a gun at him rather than putting it to his head.

Lochte told Lauer in the telephone interview on Wednesday that he was not told by anyone in Brazil to remain in the country but said he would cooperate, albeit from the United States.

Lauer also gave Lochte a chance to address speculation the entire armed robbery story was fabricated to cover-up for another nefarious activity - possibly with someone they wouldn't want to be associated with.

Lochte strongly denied this and said it was 'absolutely not the case.'

'I wouldn't make up a story like this nor would the others — as a matter of fact we all feel it makes us look bad,' said Lauer, quoting Lochte. 'We're victims in this and we're happy that we're safe.'

Lauer said on Today Thursday morning that there were not any major discrepancies in Lochte's new story, but host Billy Bush quickly interjected and pointed out that there were a number of major differences.

'He told me that the car was side-swiped and then pulled over to a gas station, when you spoke to him the car was not side-swiped, it was standing still,' said Bush.

'And then he talks about the guy pulled a gun out and put it to my head, that didn't happen, there was no gun to the head.

'He embellished a little bit when he told the guy, "Look, I'm not getting down on the ground, and if you got a gun you can use it." He told me he never had that Dirty Harry moment.'

In the interview with Bush, Lochte said: 'I was with a couple swimmers. We were coming back from France house. And we got pulled over in our taxi, and these guys came out with a badge - a police badge - no lights, no nothing, just a police badge.

'They pulled us over, they pulled out their guns, and they told the other swimmers to get down on the ground. They got down on the ground, but I refused. I was like, "We didn't do anything wrong, so I'm not getting down on the ground."

'And the guy pulled out his gun, he cocked it, put it to my forehead and said "get down." And I was like [Puts hands up in video] I put my hands up and I was like 'whatever'. He took our money, he took my wallet, and then...'

Bush then asked: 'But he left your cellphone? He left your credentials?'

Lochte replied: 'He left my cellphone. He left my credentials, but he took my wallet and he took all the guys' cash.'

Stony faced: Gunnar Bentz (L) and Jack Conger (R) leave the police station after Brazilian police took them into custody while they were preparing to take off for home

Sullen faces: Gunnar Bentz makes to exit the gangway at Rio's Galeao International Airport after being pulled from the flight while Jack Conger makes a phone call

Answers needed: A look at Lochte's alleged actions in the early hours of Sunday

USOC spokesman Patrick Sandusky said on Wednesday night that 'Jack Conger and Gunnar Bentz were removed from their flight to the United States by Brazilian authorities. We are gathering further information.'

Feigen checked in for a flight online but never showed up.

Representatives from the US consulate arrived at the airport shortly after the swimmers were held.

US State Department spokesman John Kirby said that they were aware of the situation.

'We have seen media reports that two U.S. citizen athletes were detained. We stand ready to provide all appropriate consular assistance,' Kirby said in a statement.

The investigation intensified on Wednesday as the swimmers started heading home to the U.S., and Brazilian judge Keyla Blanc De Cnop ordered the seizure of Lochte and Feigen's passports.

The judge said the two Olympic teammates had given contradictory accounts of the alleged robbery.

Lochte told police in Rio there was one armed robber, while Feigen gave a statement claiming there were more, one of whom had a gun.

Weapon: Lochte described how the alleged robbers pointed a gun to his head in an interview on Sunday (above) but has now slightly changed that story

Party: Lochte shared a video on Snapchat in the early hours of Sunday morning just before the alleged robbery at Club France with Jimmy Feigen (above)

Steve Bentz, father of Gunnar Bentz, when reached by phone late Wednesday night, said: 'I really don't want to say anything,' and hung up.

Lochte's father, Steve Lochte, said that his son called him Tuesday after arriving in the United States.

The 32-year-old swimmer was going to pick up his car and buy a new wallet to replace the one that he said was stolen in the robbery.

'I'm just happy he's safe,' the elder Lochte said. 'It was an unfortunate experience for him and the other three. I don't know what all the controversy is. They were basically taken out of the taxi and robbed. The main thing is he's very lucky that he's safe and that all they got was his cash and wallet.'

The elder Lochte said his son's Olympic credentials and cell phone weren't taken during the incident early Sunday morning. He said he was sure Ryan had his passport or he would not have been allowed to board a plane.

Police initially interviewed Lochte and Feigen, who said they had been intoxicated and could not remember what type and color of taxi they rode in or where the robbery happened, the police official said.

The swimmers also could not say what time the events occurred.

Ostrow has said there is no question the robbery occurred.

'Why would anybody fabricate anything?' Steve Lochte said. 'It's just ridiculous.'

Wednesday evening's sensational developments at the airport came after police arrived at the Olympic Village on Wednesday to seize the passports of Lochte and Feigen in an attempt to keep them in the country for further questioning about the robbery they claim occurred early Sunday.

A judge gave authorities the go ahead after doubts began to grow over the claims made by the swimmers in light of the surveillance video obtained by DailyMail.com earlier this week showing the group laughing and smiling as they returned to the Olympic Village.

Lochte's mother later broke the news of the alleged robbery later that day while speaking with Fox Sports.

A formal request for their passports to be seized reveals that the two men will now be investigated for the false communication of a crime, which carries a maximum sentence of three years in jail in Brazil. Although there is an extradition treaty between USA and Brazil, but it would be very unlikely that he would be sent back because he left before an order to seize his passport was in place.

Records retrieved by investigators from the X-ray machine through which the athletes passed in the Village also showed that the men were carrying all the belongings which they had claimed in sworn statements to police had been stolen.

In the statement a public prosecutor said that the images from the surveillance video, along with 'contradictory' statements made by the athletes to police, further reinforced investigators' doubt about the veracity of the athletes' claims they had been robbed.

It read: 'One sees that the supposed victims arrived with their physical and psychological integrity intact, even playing with each other, showing that there wasn't any psychological shock inherent to such alleged violence.

'The more than calm behavior of the athletes straight after the supposed violence, together with other details present in the inquiry, makes me believe that more investigations should be undertaken into the possible false communication of a crime.'