Ryan Lochte Robbed In Rio With 3 Other Team USA Swimmers

Ryan Lochte, the Olympic gold medal-winning US swimmer, was robbed at gunpoint in Rio de Janeiro alongside three other Team USA swimmers.

Ryan Lochte Robbed

Lochte, Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger and Jimmy Feigen were robbed on their way to the Olympic Village in Rio early Sunday morning, the U.S. Olympic Committee told CNN. The group had been headed back after spending time at a hospitality house hosted by France in a taxi, when the car was stopped.

The taxi was “stopped by individuals posing as armed police officers who demanded the athletes’ money and other personal belongings,” USOC spokesman Patrick Sandusky explained.

Lochte further detailed the incident in an interview with NBC. The athlete and one-time reality TV show star revealed that he tried to stand up to the imposters before a gun was pulled on him.

“We got pulled over, in the taxi, and these guys came out with a police badge, no lights, no nothing — just a police badge and they pulled us over,” Lochte said. “They pulled out their guns, they told the other swimmers to get down on the ground — they got down on the ground. I refused, I was like we didn’t do anything wrong, so — I’m not getting down on the ground. And then the guy pulled out his gun, he cocked it, put it to my forehead and he said, ‘Get down,’ and I put my hands up, I was like ‘whatever.’ He took our money, he took my wallet — he left my cell phone, he left my credentials.”

Lochte added in a statement posted to Twitter, “I want to thank all of my family, friends, and fans for the overwhelming support and concern I have received today. While it is true that my teammates and I were the victims of a robbery early Sunday morning, what’s most important is that we are safe and unharmed. I am honored to have represented the U.S. here at the Rio Olympics and to win gold for my country alongside my teammates. I look forward to getting home so that I can begin to map out the plans for my future with an eye on representing #TeamUSA at the #2020 Tokyo Olympics.”

Rio de Janeiro civil police have opened an investigation into the armed robbery.