Judge in Asuncion orders Brazil football icon Ronaldinho held

Brazilian football legend Ronaldinho was behind bars on Saturday after being arrested for entering Paraguay on a fake passport, a judge in Asuncion confirmed on Saturday. two-time world player of year and his bror Roberto, who was detained with him, h spent night in hequarters of Specialized Police Group in capital city. pair appeared Saturday morning before Judge Clara Ruiz Diaz at Palace of Justice.

Prosecutor Osmar Legal said Ronaldinho -- his full name is Ronaldo de Assis Moreira -- and his bror were being charged with using false official documents, and he requested that y be held in preventive detention. judge agreed. "y committed a serious act that threatens state," she said, and ordered m held. A lawyer for brors, Tarek Tuma, called judge's decision "irrational (and) arbitrary" and demanded that judge recuse herself.

Visitors and fast food

Ronaldinho was star of Brazil's 2002 world championship team; he played professionally for teams including Paris Saint-Germain, AC Milan and Barcelona, and was considered one of greatest players of all time. He spent Friday night in an ministrative office in police hequarters that h been converted to serve as a cell, said Commissioner Blas Vera. Ronaldinho, winner of prestigious Ballon d'Or prize in 2005, was allowed visitors -- one brought him blankets and bedding -- and was even permitted to order a late dinner from a fast-food chain.

incident began on Wednesday when brors arrived at Asuncion international airport, coming from Brazil, and showed ir passports to immigration police, who did t immediately spot problem. But hours later, when passports were determined to be fake, investigators raided room Ronaldinho was staying in and seized brors' identity cards and passports. Ronaldinho said documents h been given him by people who h invited him to attend conferences sponsored by charities working with disvantd children.

soccer legend was also scheduled to open a casi belonging to a Brazilian businessman. Brazilian authorities revoked Ronaldinho's passport in late 2018 after he failed to pay a $2.5 million fine for building a pier in a protected lake, Brazilian media reported. A representative of Ronaldinho, Wilmondes Sousa Lira, who is Brazilian, was charged with producing and using false documents as well as criminal association and was ordered held in Tacumbu prison. Two Paraguayan women, Maria Isabel Gayoso and Esperanza Apolonia Caballero, were charged with abuse of identity documents and criminal association. Prosecutors said y h provided fake documents to Brazilians. y were placed under house arrest.

Im credits: AP