In an escalation of the controversy involving four American swimmers, Brazilian authorities on Thursday recommended that Ryan Lochte and Jimmy Feigen be charged with falsely reporting a crime. To be clear, a recommendation of a charge is not the equivalent of an actual charge. An actual charge in Brazil requires that a person be caught in the act or arrested pursuant to a warrant issued by a judicial authority. Put another way, Lochte or Feigen might not be charged at any point, although it could take days or weeks before that is determined. If Lochte and Feigen are ultimately charged with false reporting, a conviction on this particular offense normally results in a fine rather than incarceration.
Possible outcomes for Lochte, Feigen after authorities recommend indictment
