Swimmers Bentz, Conger Return to US From Rio Following Robbery Claim Scandal

The embattled duo arrived in Miami Friday morning.

ByABC News
August 19, 2016, 6:28 AM

— -- U.S. Olympic swimmers Gunnar Bentz and Jack Conger arrived back in the U.S. Friday morning, ABC News has confirmed.

The duo arrived at Miami International Airport around 6:30 a.m. on a flight that departed Rio de Janeiro Thursday evening.

Bentz, 20, and Conger, 21, were removed from their U.S.-bound flight Wednesday evening by Brazilian police, who then interviewed the pair about fellow U.S. swimmer Ryan Lochte's claim that he, Bentz, Conger and fellow Olympian James Feigen were robbed at gunpoint in Rio.

But Rio police said Thursday that they do not believe that the men were robbed and that they were not victims.

Rio's Civil Police Chief Fernando Veloso said one or more of the U.S. Olympians vandalized a bathroom at a gas station after they left a party early Sunday.

The athletes broke mirrors and damaged other things in the bathroom, police said. The athletes initially refused to stay, but security asked the taxi not to leave. Another person stepped in to interpret between the athletes and the guards, and the athletes left money, police said.

A spokesperson for the Rio de Janeiro Civil Police said that the department has recommended that Lochte and Feigen be charged with false reporting.

A lawyer for Lochte, who is now in the U.S., said he wasn't aware "of the federal police recommending charges for filing a false police report."

Feigen, meanwhile, agreed on Thursday to make an $11,000 donation to a Brazilian charity in an effort to resolve the dispute over the robbery claim, his lawyer said.

ABC News' Rachel Katz and Charli James contributed to this report.

The story is developing. Please check back for updates.

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