Justin Bieber To Appeal Indictment In Argentina Assault And Alleged Theft Case Involving His Bodyguards
Justin Bieber has been indicted in an old assault and alleged theft case in Argentina involving his bodyguards, which would mean the superstar will be arrested if he enters the country.
On Wednesday, (December 21), a Buenos Aires judge ruled for an indictment against the pop prince.
The case dates back to 2013. While Bieber was in Buenos Aires for a stop on his Believe Tour, he was accused of instructing his bodyguards to beat up a paparazzo and steal the photog’s money and camera.
In 2014, the “Love Yourself” singer was ordered to Argentina to testify in a deposition, which he failed to do. An arrest warrant was subsequently issued in 2015 amid talk of the Interpol getting involved.
That warrant was later canceled, but the case continued. In early 2016, the presiding Argentine judge denied Bieber’s legal team’s request for the singer to be deposed in the case via a video link from the U.S.
The most reasonable reading of this indictment is that it has been ordered because Bieber won’t testify as a witness. The Inquisitr previously noted there are significant questions about the integrity and merit of the case against Bieber, primarily a lack of proof that the singer affirmatively instructed his security team to do assault or steal from the photographer in the case, and the veracity of supposed witnesses and claims made by the plaintiff’s grandstanding lawyer.
There are also rumors of collusion between the paparazzo’s lawyer and the presiding judge in the case, not to mention significant potential jury tainting by Argentina’s tabloid media.
Justin Bieber Indicted In Argentina Assault Case https://t.co/ZzpSph00IQ pic.twitter.com/gk73NxOzcS
— Gossip Cop (@GossipCop) December 21, 2016
Clearly, Bieber would be unwise to go back Argentina. Earlier this year it was confirmed that he wouldn’t be.
Back in May, tweets were shared from the official Justin Bieber Twitter account partly explaining why the singer would not be including Argentina on his ongoing Purpose World Tour.
The Biebs apologized, adding that he couldn’t take the risk of entering the country.
“Argentinian beliebers I would like nothing more than to bring the #purposetour there but the Argentinian government won’t allow it. So sorry,” the posts read.
The tweets continued, “If things were to change I would love to come but at this time I cannot. For everyone else in South America I look forward to seeing you.”
The South American leg of Bieber’s Purpose World Tour is set to begin in February 2017, followed by a stadium leg in Australia and New Zealand, then returning to South America in March.
TMZ reports that Bieber and his legal team plan to appeal the indictment.
The celebrity news site reports that sources say Bieber and his team claim the Argentine judge in the assault and alleged theft case is, as the outlet put it, a lone wolf who has been out to get the singer.
Team Bieber is reportedly hoping that appeals court judges will see the indictment as a publicity grab and jettison the case.
The site went on to note that Argentina is Bieber’s biggest fan base and market in South America.
TMZ added that one Bieber source said, “The judge is screwing his own country because Justin could infuse a huge amount of money into the economy.”
It remains to be seen what the outcome of an appeal would be. But clearly Team Bieber has all the motivation in the world to pursue that course — and further, if necessary.
Meanwhile, the “Sorry” singer got another slap from PETA yesterday after he stepped out for a late supper with friends at the Hyde club in Los Angeles wearing a fur coat on Monday evening.
The inevitable PETA riot act arrived shortly after media reports and photos of Bieber in his fur coat surfaced on Tuesday.
In an overwrought statement, the animal rights organization slammed the singer’s decision to wear fur. It can be read in full here.
The Inquisitr will update on Bieber’s ongoing case in Argentina.
Justin Bieber has reportedly been indicted for a three-year-old incident in Argentina https://t.co/23BsWu6wOO
— VANITY FAIR (@VanityFair) December 21, 2016
[Featured Image by Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images]
