Brazil police arrest Olympic committee chief in vote-buying scandal

[October 05, 2017]  SAO PAULO (Reuters) - Brazilian police arrested on Thursday the head of the national Olympics committee, Carlos Arthur Nuzman, who is accused of conspiring to bribe members of the International Olympic Committee to pick Rio de Janeiro as host of the 2016 games.

Brazilian investigators claim Nuzman helped arrange a $2 million bribe to get the games for Rio de Janeiro.

Leonardo Gryner, a former director of the national Olympics committee, was also arrested in a new phase of the so-called Unfair Play investigation, the police said.

In September, police raided Nuzman's home, accusing him of conspiring with politicians to buy the right to host the 2016 games. Nuzman’s lawyer, Sergio Mazzillo, said then his client was innocent.

(Reporting by Pedro Fonseca; Writing by Ana Mano; Editing by Larry King)

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Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB) President Carlos Arthur Nuzman (2nd L) arrives to Federal Police headquarters in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, September 5, 2017. REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes