Former Manchester City striker Jo has been arrested for the fourth time in Brazil over unpaid child maintenance. The 38-year-old, whose full name is Joao Alves de Assis Silva, was detained on Tuesday at a barbecue in Barra da Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro, over a debt of R$220,744.57 (£31,500).
Jo was taken to a local police station after officers acted on a warrant linked to a 2024 process concerning unpaid child maintenance. He had been arrested three times last year – twice in Campinas and once in Contagem – over the same issue, and was previously freed after paying the sums demanded by the authorities.
Ex-girlfriend Maiara Quiderolly, mother of one of his children, commented on his previous arrests in a video on Instagram, saying: 'I chose a s*** father for my son. I can't receive the pension correctly... It's always torture to get things.'
Jo, who played 20 times for Brazil and scored two goals in the 2013 Confederations Cup, was part of the 2014 World Cup squad. He retired from professional football for the second time earlier this year after a spell with Brazilian fourth division side Itabirito. He previously played for Manchester City, where he scored six goals in 42 games after a £19 million move in 2008, and also had loan spells at Everton and Galatasaray.
