NBC Olympics.com – Four members of the USA Swim Team, including Ryan Lochte, were robbed by individuals posing as police officers in an incident early Sunday morning in Rio, according to the United States Olympic Committee.
In a statement issued Sunday, the USOC spokesperson Patrick Sandusky said the following:
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"According to four members of the U.S. Olympic Swimming Team (Gunnar Bentz, Jack Conger, Jimmy Feigen and Ryan Lochte), they left France House early Sunday morning in a taxi headed for the Olympic Village. Their taxi was stopped by individuals posing as armed police officers who demanded the athletes' money and other personal belongings. All four athletes are safe and cooperating with authorities."
Lochte confirmed details of the incident to NBC's Billy Bush, saying his car was sideswiped and was held up by men with badges.
"We got pulled over, in the taxi, and these guys came out with a badge, a police badge, no lights, no nothing just a police badge and they pulled us over," Lochte told Bush. "They pulled out their guns, they told the other swimmers to get down on the ground — they got down on the ground. I refused, I was like we didn't do anything wrong, so — I'm not getting down on the ground.
"And then the guy pulled out his gun, he cocked it, put it to my forehead and he said, "Get down," and I put my hands up, I was like 'whatever.' He took our money, he took my wallet — he left my cell phone, he left my credentials."
Lochte's mother, Ileana, told USA Today and Fox Sports Australia that his wallet was taken and she learned of the incident through a text from her son. An IOC spokesperson initially denied the report on Sunday morning.
Lochte won his 12th career Olympic medal in Rio, a gold with the 4x200m freestyle relay. Bentz and Conger were also gold medal winners at the Rio Games in the 4x200m freestyle relay, while Feigen's gold medal from Rio came as part of the 4x100m freestyle relay.