Rincón in Bogota at peace match press conference. Photo: Jonathan Tangri
Former Real Madrid midfielder Freddy Rincón wanted for questioning by Interpol, but Colombian authorities say they won’t arrest him
Colombian ex-footballer Freddy Rincón denied any wrong-doing after Interpol added him to a wanted list for alleged money laundering, local and international media reported last week.
Police here said on Friday May 1 they would not arrest the former Real Madrid and Corinthians player because he is wanted in Panama and Colombia has no extradition treaty with that country.
Panamanian authorities accuse him of money laundering and criminal conspiracy relating to drugs. They allege that he set up a business in Panama to help Colombian drug kingpin and Rincón’s childhood friend, Pablo Rayo Montaño, launder drug money. Montaño was nabbed in a police raid in Brazil in 2006.
“Panama has no evidence against me and that was why even Brazil closed the case against me.” Rincón said in an interview with Semana magazine.
The 48-year-old was briefly detained in São Paulo in 2007 on similar charges, but was later released.
With a career spanning 18 years, the midfielder captained the Brazilian team Corinthians and played for Palmeiras, Napoli and Real Madrid. He famously scored Colombia’s goal against Germany in the 1990 World Cup – the first of three World Cup tournaments in which he took part during Colombia’s golden era in the 1990s.
By Maddie Elder
