It looks like the Biebs has found himself in even more hot water. On Wednesday, TMZ reported Justin Bieber was indicted in Argentina over an alleged 2013 incident in which he allegedly had his bodyguards beat a photographer and then steal from him. Bustle has reached out to the singer's lawyer for comment, but did not receive a response at time of publication. Sources reportedly told TMZ that Bieber's lawyers will appeal the indictment in hopes that the judge will throw out the case.
As reported by Rolling Stone in November 2014, the incident allegedly occurred in November 2013 at the Ink nightclub in Buenos Aires. A photographer named Diego Pesoa claims Bieber's bodyguards chased and beat him after he tried to photograph the now 22-year-old. Per Rolling Stone, Pesoa claimed he suffered injuries which landed him in the hospital. According to Reuters in November 2014, Pesoa's lawyer, Matias Morla, told local channel C5N TV, "Bieber has to come to Argentina, and it won’t be to sing."
Also in November 2014, The Guardian (via Télam, an Argentinian news outlet) reported that magistrate Facunda Cubas summoned Bieber to an Argentinian court due to the alleged 2013 incident. At the time of the report, it was said if Bieber failed to submit his own testimony about what occurred in November 2013 within 60 days, then Cubas would issue an international warrant for Bieber's arrest.
Regarding the latter, in April 2015 Billboard reported that Bieber failed to do so and an arrest warrant was issued for him and his two bodyguards, Hugo Alcides Hesny and Terrence Reche Small. (Hesny and Small could not be reached for comment at the time of publication.) After the warrant was issued, Pesoa told a local station, Telefe Noticias, (via Billboard), "Now we just need to wait for the police to find him and bring him. For us, this is a triumph against all those who said this case was a bluff and that we didn't have anything."
In February and March, Bieber's Purpose world tour is set to begin in Latin America, but he shared in a group of tweets in May that he will not be heading to Argentina. "Argentinian beliebers I would like nothing more than to bring the #purposetour there but until the legal conditions change there I can't," he tweeted in May. He also wrote, "Argentina I do love you. It is in fact one of my favorite places to tour. I wish this was not the case. My lawyers say it is what it is."
Rolling Stone reported in November 2014 that if Bieber is found guilty, he could potentially face up to one year in prison. Billboard also reported in April 2015 that the singer could face one month to six years in prison if convicted on a charge of causing injuries.
