Fake Passport: Ronaldinho Released After Pleading Guilty In Paraguay -

Ronaldinho has been released and allowed to return home to Brazil after living under house arrest for five months in Paraguay with Roberto Assis, his brother.

The brothers were apprehended in Paraguay in early March after presenting false passports to enter the country.

They were set free from prison in April after their lawyers deposited $1.6 million (£1.3m) bail on their behalf, and they were placed under house arrest in a hotel in Asuncion to await trial.

The pair had faced a possible five years behind bars if found guilty of the charge.

Both brothers have pleaded guilty to using fake passports to enter the country as part of the agreement. Ronaldinho has paid a fine of $90,000, while Assis has been fined $110,000.

While Assis will now have a criminal record in Paraguay, Ronaldinho will not.

Also in the agreement, Assis will not be permitted to leave Brazil for two years, and must present himself to Brazilian authorities in Rio de Janeiro at intervals during that 24-month span.

The Ex Brazil International is now permitted to travel back to Brazil and reports claim that he can leave at any time if he notifies officials of the period he will be out of the country.

Ronaldinho and Assis were initially detained after presenting the fake documents having travelled to Paraguay to take part in a number of promotional events.

They spent 32 days in the maximum security Agrupacion Especializada prison after being arrested at the Resort Yacht and Golf Club Paraguay.

Ronaldinho said during a televised interview in late April that he and his brother has not realised their passports were not legal at the time.

He revealed to Paraguayan network ABC Color: “We were totally surprised to learn that the documents were not legal. Since then our intention has been to collaborate with the justice system to clarify the facts.

“From that moment until today, we have explained everything and facilitated everything that has been requested of us.

“It was a hard blow, I never imagined that I would go through such a situation. All my life I have sought to reach the highest professional level and bring joy to people with my football.”