Paraguay judge rules Ronaldinho can go free after months-long detention

Ronaldinho is seen arriving at the hearing at the Supreme Court of Justice where he could be released from the home prison he has been holding for 4 months in a hotel in Asuncion, Paraguay, August 24, 2020. Sebastian Caceres/Paraguayan Supreme Court/Handout via REUTERS

A Paraguayan judge ended the house arrest of former Barcelona player Ronaldinho Gaucho on Monday, freeing the way for him to return to Brazil and end a more than five-month ordeal that began when he tried to enter the country with an adulterated passport.

A judge in Asuncion agreed to a “conditional suspension” of charges, effectively clearing the player of any responsibility for the crime but ordering him to pay $90,000 in costs, which would be given to charitable organizations.