years in prison after finding him guilty of laundering money for a drug gang.
Judge Suzana Pereira said Monday
that Edson Cholbi do Nascimento must surrender his passport to the
court this week. She said the 43-year-old can remain free as he appeals,
which can take years in Brazil.
''The process is still open. He can still appeal and have another court review the case,'' Pereira said.
Pereira said she couldn't reveal
many details about last week's ruling because both parties agreed to
handle the case privately. But she said she found enough proof to
convict Do Nascimento.
The defendant's lawyer could not
be reached for comment. Do Nascimento previously denied the charges,
although he said he had used drugs out of curiosity after he quit
professional soccer. He spent six months in a maximum-security prison in
2005 after being arrested with 50 others in a sweep aimed at a gang in
the port city of Santos. Prosecutors said he was associated with the
criminal group.
Pele is considered the best
soccer player ever and in Brazil he is hailed as a national hero. He is
currently in the spotlight as the country makes final preparations to
host the World Cup in 10 days.
His personal adviser, Jose Fornos Rodrigues, said the sports star was traveling in China and had no comment on the case.
Known as Edinho, Pele's son
played as a goalkeeper and is now a coach for the Santos professional
soccer team, where his father rose to fame in the 1950s. The club said
it would not comment, calling the case a personal matter for Edinho.
It wasn't his first run-in with
the law. He was charged in early 1990s with taking part in a high-speed
race where the other car hit and killed a motorcyclist. He was sentenced
for manslaughter years later and then acquitted in 2005.
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