The Fiscalía Metropolitana Oriente, part of Chile’s Public Prosecutor’s Office, is seeking a total of 22 years in prison for former footballer Jorge Valdivia over alleged sexual offences. The request, first reported by Chilean outlet Meganoticias, concerns events said to have taken place in October 2024 and was filed by prosecutor Rodrigo Célis.
The charges seek 12 years for an alleged rape and 10 years for alleged sexual abuse. Valdivia’s defence says both encounters were consensual.
In one complaint, a tattoo artist said she met Valdivia at a restaurant, where they ate and drank together. She said she later lost her memory and subsequently learned that they had had sex. In the second complaint, a woman said she met Valdivia at a restaurant before going to his apartment.
Valdivia was held in preventive detention on two occasions between October 2024 and January 2025.
The former Chile international played for Palmeiras in two spells, from 2006 to 2008 and from 2010 to 2015. He made 241 appearances for the club, scoring 41 goals and providing 39 assists, and won the Campeonato Paulista in 2008, the Copa do Brasil in 2012 and 2015, and Brazil’s Série B in 2013.
For Chile, Valdivia played 79 matches and scored seven goals. He was part of the team that won the 2015 Copa América. He retired in July 2022 and also played for clubs including Colo-Colo, Necaxa, Rayo Vallecano and Al Ain.
Sources: Folha Esporte.