Brazilian legend, Ronaldinho has been released from house arrest but has been ordered to pay (£69,000) $90,000 in damages by a Paraguayan judge after five months of detention over a forged passport.
The Judge, Gustavo Amarilla also released Ronaldinho’s brother, Roberto de Assis Moreira who was put under house arrest along with the former Ballon d’Or winner.
Ronaldinho, 40 ‘is free to travel to whatever country in the world he wants but he must inform us if he changes his permanent residence’ for a period of one year, the judge said.
‘He has no restrictions except for the fulfilment of reparations for damage to society.’
Ronaldinho and Roberto will appear before a judge in Brazil every three months – the ex-Barcelona star for a year and his brother for two years.
‘There is no indication that he has any personal characteristics or criminal behaviour that … would put society at risk,’ the prosecutor said prior to Monday’s trial.
Prosecutors did not believe Ronaldinho took part in the plan to manufacture the fake Paraguayan passports but are of the view that de Assis Moreira was aware that the passports were fake.
The brothers arrived in Paraguay on March 4, 2020, and the Brazilian superstar was expected to take part in an event to support disadvantaged children.
However, two days later, the duo was arrested following the discovery that they travelled with fake documents.
After being locked up in a police station in Asuncion, Ronaldinho celebrated his 40th birthday behind bars and also participated in football games while in jail.
Gaucho was subsequently put under house arrest for more than four months and in a luxury hotel on a bail of $1.6 million.
The case for the forgery of passports has since evolved into a possible money laundering saga in Paraguay with some 18 people arrested in connection to the case, with most of them being immigration officials or police officers.
Considered as probably the greatest showman on the ball, Ronaldinho was instrumental in Brazil’s World Cup win in 2002.
He also played for several clubs including FC Barcelona, AC Milan and Paris Saint-Germain.
In an illustrious career, the 40-year-old won the UEFA Champions League, two La Liga titles with Barcelona and the Italian Serie A with AC Milan among many other trophies.