The ex-Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain star, who received the 2002 World Cup with Brazil, advised lawmakers his identify and picture had been used with out his consent by 18K Ronaldinho, a agency accused of defrauding buyers with false guarantees of returns of as much as 400 %.
“It isn’t true I’m the founder and controlling associate of 18K Ronaldinho,” the 43-year-old former participant advised the lower-house committee investigating the alleged rip-off.
Carrying darkish glasses and a black beret, he mentioned he had signed a advertising and marketing contract in 2016 with a US firm known as 18K Watches.
Unbeknownst to him, photos taken for that marketing campaign have been then used to market 18K Ronaldinho, he mentioned.
He advised lawmakers he had realized his identify was being utilized by the corporate however didn’t take authorized motion, saying he himself was a sufferer of the alleged rip-off.
Ronaldinho had failed to look at two prior listening to dates set by the committee. Lawmakers had threatened to have police compel him to testify.
He declined to reply lots of their questions through the two-hour listening to, invoking the fitting to stay silent.
His brother and enterprise consultant, Roberto de Assis Moreira, testified earlier than the identical committee final week.
Ronaldinho was criminally charged within the case in February 2020, after tons of of victims lodged a grievance towards the corporate for greater than 300 million reais (round $61 million).
Days later, he was arrested in Paraguay for utilizing a solid passport.
He was detained for greater than 5 months earlier than being launched.
© 2023 AFP