Former Brazilian and Manchester City footballer Robinho, born Robson de Souza, was apprehended by federal police at his residence in Santos.
This follows a ruling from a Brazilian court, mandating him to serve a nine-year prison term for a rape conviction in Italy.
Robinho, aged 40, was taken into custody after his legal team’s efforts to postpone his detention proved unsuccessful.
The conviction stems from a 2013 incident during his tenure with AC Milan, where he and five other Brazilians were found guilty of sexually assaulting a woman after intoxicating her at a nightclub.
“In 2017, a Milan court found Robinho and five other Brazilians guilty of gang raping a woman after plying her with alcohol in a discotheque.”
Despite his consistent denial of the charges, the conviction was upheld by an appeals court in 2020 and later affirmed by Italy’s highest court in 2022.
Upon arrival at the federal police headquarters in Santos, where his football career began, Robinho faced a throng of journalists and camera crews.
He is scheduled to undergo a forensic medical examination before attending a custody hearing.
Subsequently, he is expected to be transferred to one of the numerous prisons in São Paulo state, potentially Tremembé, known for housing high-profile inmates, including murderers and serial rapists.
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