Rio tickets controversy: Kevin Mallon pays €215,000 bond to court

Dublin man now able to leave Brazil after being charged over Olympic tickets

The lawyer for Kevin Mallon, the Dublin man arrested on the eve of the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, says the bond amount of R$750,000 (€215,000)was paid into the Brazilian Courts on Tuesday.

Franklin Gomes said he hoped his client will be given authorisation by the Brazilian judiciary to travel to Ireland within days. Mr Gomes said his client is innocent of all charges levied against him.

In a judicial decision published on November 22nd, permission was granted for the return of Mr Mallon's passport, enabling him to leave Brazil, upon the payment of a bond of R$1.5 million Brazilian Reals, as per conditions laid down for the release of former OCI president Pat Hickey's passport.

Mr Hickey left Brazil last Wednesday, after more than four months in Brazil.

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Mr Mallon's bond amount was halved after Mr Gomes said the amount was outside the means of the THG Sports executive and that his bond amount should not be the same as that of Mr Hickey, given that one was former president of a National Olympic Committee, and the other a "mere employee".

Public Prosecutor Marcus Kac suggested the bond amount be reduced to R$1.2 million, a 20 per cent drop from the original bond amount. But, in a decision published with the Rio courts last Monday, Justice Marcello Rubioli allowed the bond amount to reduce by 50 per cent.

Mr Franklin said the bond of R$750,000 was lodged on Tuesday in Rio. He said the money arrived some days ago in Brazil, but that payment to the courts was delayed due to “bureaucratic delays in the banking system”, as the foreign currency was converted to Brazilian Reals.

However, the Brazilian courts went into annual recess on Tuesday which may impact Kevin Mallon’s capacity to sign an agreement to comply with aspects of the ongoing legal process.

His lawyers had requested this document be signed yesterday but as the money had not yet been received by the courts, this was not allowed.

Mr Franklin would not confirm who had paid the bond for the release of Mr Mallon's passport, but said "Kevin used all resources available to him and his family", adding the money had come from Europe.

Mr Gomes said he hoped the local judiciary, providing emergency cover during the holidays, showed “reasonability to release Kevin’s passport.”

He said “Kevin has complied with everything that has been asked of him, at all times,” and said he hopes for “compassion and fraternity” at this time.

Mr Mallon has been charged with ambush marketing, ticket touting, tax evasion, criminal association, and larceny.

His case in Brazil could begin as soon as next month, and could take at least a year to conclude.