An Italian court has sentenced the former AC Milan and Brazil forward Robinho in absentia to nine years in prison after convicting him of taking part in a gang rape of an Albanian woman in 2013.
A Milan court ruled that Robinho and five other Brazilians assaulted the woman, who was 22 at the time, after plying her with alcohol in a discotheque.
The whereabouts of Robinho’s five companions is not known, so their trial has been put on hold.
Robinho, 33, who currently plays with Atlético Mineiro in Brazil, pleaded not guilty via his lawyer and did not appear at any of the court hearings in northern Italy.
Robinho has a right to two appeals and Italy would only seek extradition once this legal process is exhausted, a source said. However, Brazil does not allow for the extradition of its own citizens, meaning he would only risk arrest and deportation if he was stopped in a third country.
Robinho’s sentence will be put on hold until the appeals process is completed.
The Milan court ordered the victim receive 60,000 euros ($71,000) as compensation for her suffering.
