Paraguayan Woman Behind Ronaldinho’s Fake Passport Case Jailed After Six Years on the Run

By Eppe Franklyne

The long-standing mystery surrounding the arrest of football legend Ronaldinho in South America took a major legal turn on Monday. Dalia Lopez, the businesswoman accused of providing the former Brazilian star and his brother with forged passports, has been ordered to pre-trial detention in a Paraguayan women’s prison. Her imprisonment follows a dramatic six-year stint as a fugitive before she was finally captured in Asuncion on April 2.

Lopez is facing charges of criminal association for allegedly orchestrating the scheme that led to the 2020 detention of Ronaldinho (Ronaldo de Assis Moreira) and his brother, Roberto. The legal saga began in March 2020 when the pair arrived in Paraguay for a charity event organized by Lopez. Two days later, they were arrested for possessing fake Paraguayan passports and ID cards—a move that baffled investigators since Brazilian citizens can travel to Paraguay using only their national ID cards.

The fallout from the incident saw the former World Cup winner spend five months in custody, including nearly a month in a high-security prison and four months under house arrest in a luxury hotel in Asuncion. The brothers were eventually released after paying a combined bail of $1.6 million. While Ronaldinho has since returned to Brazil, the investigation into the broader forgery ring has continued, with 18 individuals charged to date.

On Monday, a judge ruled that Lopez remains a high flight risk, given her history of evading authorities. She has been transferred to a correctional facility in Emboscada, approximately 35 kilometers from the capital. As the trial moves forward, many hope the proceedings will finally reveal the motive behind why one of the world’s most recognizable athletes was convinced to travel using forged documents.

Given Ronaldinho’s status, do you think he was a victim of a larger criminal conspiracy, or was he aware of the illegality of his travel documents?

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