Former Brazil international Robinho has been arrested at his flat in Santos to serve a nine-year prison sentence for his role in the gang rape of an Albanian woman in Milan in 2013. The 40-year-old was convicted in Italy two years ago, and after failed extradition attempts, the Italian government requested he serve his sentence in Brazil.
On Wednesday, a Brazilian court upheld the decision for him to serve time behind bars rather than under house arrest. A Supreme Court judge rejected a last-minute bid to halt his detention on Thursday. Local media praised the justice system for acting decisively against the former footballer, whom many feared would evade justice due to his fame and wealth.
Robinho, capped 100 times for Brazil, was playing for AC Milan at the time of the crime. He lost an appeal in 2020, and Italy's highest court upheld his sentence in 2022, leading to an international arrest warrant. The former Manchester City player told a Brazilian network on Sunday that the sex had been 'consensual'.
