Brazilian prosecutors have filed charges against Olympic Council of Ireland President Patrick Hickey "in connection to a ticket-scalping case that unfolded during last month’s Olympic Games," according to Adriana Gomez Licon of the AP. Marcos Kac, a state prosecutor, said on Tuesday that he decided to charge Hickey and nine others with "ticket scalping, conspiracy and ambush marketing, after reviewing the police investigation." Kac: "We found enough evidence linking Hickey to this plot to sell tickets by a company that was not authorized. These are tickets that were sold for up to $8,000." Police have said that Hickey plotted with businessmen to "transfer tickets illegally from a sports company called Pro 10 to hospitality provider THG Sports," which was a non-authorized vendor and allegedly sold them for "very high fees." Police investigators said that the scheme was planned to "rake in" $3M (AP, 9/6). The IRISH EXAMINER reported Hickey will face charges alongside nine others, "including fellow Irishman, THG executive Kevin James Mallon, 36." On Tuesday, Hickey was "once again quizzed by detectives" as part of a "new line of enquiry." During the interview he "refused to answer any of the questions put to him, according to detectives." Detective Aloysio Falcão said, "He stayed silent. Until now there have been two people arrested and eight others indicted. They are already being charged by the public prosecutors as well. The 10 are the directors of THG, Patrick Hickey, and the directors of Pro 10. The 10 people charged come from these three institutions." Falcão: "Today was a new phase of the investigation that will be explained on Thursday." Asked if this "new phase of the investigation could lead to more charges," he said, "We believe so. It is a new stage with new crimes." He said that there was "one Irish person not previously mentioned that was now a focus after they examined data from computers and mobile phones seized during the investigation," but he refused to reveal "more details" about the person’s identity (IRISH EXAMINER, 9/7).
EVANS UNDER INVESTIGATION: The BBC reported League Championship side Ipswich Town Owner Marcus Evans "has been charged in connection" with the ticket-touting case. He is "among nine people investigated over ticket scalping, conspiracy and ambush marketing." Evans, who runs his own sports hospitality company, denied any wrongdoing and said that the allegations are "totally without foundation" (BBC, 9/7).
STEERING CLEAR: In Dublin, Cathal McMahon reported police in Brazil have named IOC President Thomas Bach "as a witness as part of their investigation." Globo News reported police in Rio planned to speak to Bach when he was scheduled to "arrive in the country on Tuesday." However the sports administrator "is attending a state funeral for Walter Scheel, the former West Germany President, who died at the age of 97, in Berlin." It was reported that the next time Bach arrives in Brazil, he will be "subpoenaed" as a witness. An IOC spokesperson said in a statement that "there are no plans" for him to travel to Brazil (IRISH INDEPENDENT, 9/7).
