[1/3] Former soccer player Ronaldo de Assis Moreira (popularly known as Ronaldinho Gaucho) attends a session of the Parliamentary Commission of Inquiry (CPI) of the Financial Pyramids, at the Chamber of Deputies in Brasilia, Brazil, August 31, 2023. REUTERS/Ton Molina Acquire Licensing RightsAug 31 (Reuters) - Retired Brazilian soccer star Ronaldinho Gaucho on Thursday denied an accusation of involvement in a scam that has drawn national attention for deceiving victims with promises of profitable cryptocurrency investments. Ronaldinho said he signed a contract with the U.S. company 18k Watch Corporation in 2016 to create a line of watches bearing his image, the statement added. The same year, Ronaldinho and his brother were imprisoned in Paraguay for 171 days for using a falsified passport. The soccer star was named FIFA World Player of the Year in 2004 and 2005 and won the World Cup with Brazil in 2002 and the Champions League with Barcelona in 2006.

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Persons: Ronaldo de Assis Moreira, Ronaldinho Gaucho, Ton Molina, Ronaldinho Comércio, Ronaldinho, Ricardo Silva, Carolina Pulice, Richard Chang Organizations: Parliamentary, Inquiry, REUTERS, National Congress, U.S, Watch Corporation, FIFA, Champions League, Barcelona, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Brasilia, Brazil, Brazilian, Barcelona, Paraguay