Rio police expand investigation into Ireland's alleged ticket-scalping scheme

Patrick Hickey, a member of the International Olympic Committee, speaks at a conference in 2015. (Getty)

In addition to arresting Olympic Council of Ireland president Patrick Hickey amid ticket-scalping allegations, Brazilian investigators now also suspect the man who replaced Hickey of being involved in a scheme that could have netted an estimated $3 million, according to the Associated Press.

Brazilian authorities are seeking assistance from the Irish government after replacement OCI chair William O’Brien left Rio de Janeiro on the eve of investigators obtaining a warrant and raiding the OCI’s Rio offices to seize the passports, laptops and cellphones of its members, the AP reported.

“There are a lot of messages mentioning William O’Brien along with Patrick Hickey,” Brazilian investigator Aloysio Falcao told the AP following a press conference called on Tuesday.

The 71-year-old Hickey remains in custody at Rio’s Bangu prison during an investigation into charges he orchestrated a plot, along with other OCI members, to sell tickets to Olympic events for a profit. THG Sports executive Kevin James Mallon, whose company stands accused of facilitating the ticket sales, is also being held on charges of ambush marketing, criminal conspiracy and ticket scalping.

In addition to heading the OCI since 1989, Hickey has served as European Olympic Committee president since 2006 and an International Olympic Committee’s executive board member since 2012.

Brazilian police have seized more than 1,000 tickets during the investigation, including 228 from Team Ireland chief Kevin Kilty’s room during a raid shortly before Sunday’s Closing Ceremony, per reports.

According to the Irish Examiner, Brazilian authorities seized passports and belongings of former Team Ireland chair Dermot Henihan, OCI chief executive Stephen Martin and Kilty during Sunday’s raid. Henrihan has been cleared of any wrongdoing, but Kilty and Martin face further questioning by Rio police. In addition to O’Brien, investigators are also seeking cooperation from OCI vice president John Delaney, Hickey’s personal assistant Linda O’Reilly and THG Sports owner Marcus Evans.

Meanwhile, the Irish government has launched an inquiry into the OCI’S ticket sales dating to 2010.