Ronaldo claims extortion by transvestite prostitute

It is claimed that Ronaldo is suffering some psychological problems as a result of his injury (Reuters)

Police are investigating claims by the Milan striker Ronaldo that a transvestite prostitute sought to extort money from him following an altercation at a Rio de Janeiro motel.

A police inspector, Carlos Augusto Nogueira, said that Ronaldo, who is recuperating from a knee injury at home in Brazil, contracted the services of three transvestites, believing them to be women, and took them to a motel.

However, Ronaldo is then said to have tried to get out of the situation after one of the men went in search of drugs. Two of them accepted pay-offs of 1,000 reais (£300), but Ronaldo has claimed that the third, named as Andreia Albertini, demanded 50,000 reais and threatened to post a video on the internet if he was not paid. The police also said that the transvestites have claimed that Ronaldo threatened to hurt them.

Nogueira said that Ronaldo had not committed any crimes by contracting the men, but he is looking into other claims. "He just wanted to have fun and meet some other people outside his usual environment," Nogueira said. "There is no crime at all."

He added: "He [Ronaldo] is quite shocked. He said he just wanted to have some fun and for the press not to be informed. Ronaldo told me he is suffering some psychological problems as a result of his injury."

Nogueira said the altercation began when Ronaldo found out he was dealing with transvestites instead of women. The inspector said Ronaldo admitted he knew they were prostitutes when they met on Sunday night, but did not realise they were transvestites until they got to the motel. "He admitted to everything, he wanted to have fun," Nogueira said. "But he committed no crime at all, it was immoral at worst."

In a statement to TV Globo, Ronaldo reiterated he was a victim of extortion and denied he has ever used drugs.