Justin Bieber has been charged by police in Brazil with illegally spraying graffiti in Rio de Janeiro.
In a statement, Brazil’s civil police force said the singer had been charged with “defacing a building or urban monument by graffiti or other means,” BBC Newsbeat reports .
However, officials have described Bieber’s case as “a minor offence.”
In Brazil, defacing buildings is punishable by three months to up to one year in jail or a fine and it’s possible the 19-year-old could be fined.
The “Heartbreaker” singer arrived in Rio de Janeiro on Friday, Nov. 1, to play two concerts in the country as part of his ongoing Believe world tour.
On Tuesday, Nov. 5, Bieber was photographed by paparazzo — along with some of his crew and a security detail who watched — spray painting an assortment of graffiti, including the words such as “Respect Privacy” and “Beliebers 4 life” along an outside wall of a beachside hotel in Rio’s São Conrado neighborhood.
Images of the pop star engaged in the activity appeared in Brazilian media, including the country’s biggest news outlet O Globo.
(9) Justin painting grafitti on the street walls of Rio De Janeiro, Brazil today (November 5th, 2013) pic.twitter.com/DxSxQ7V2Hw
— BelieveTourUpdates™ (@BelieveTUpdates) November 5, 2013
Justin and his crew reportedly arrived at the disused but privately owned Hotel Nacional at around 3 am on Tuesday and stayed on site for about three hours.
On Wednesday, Rio police confirmed they were investigating whether or not the singer had obtained the necessary “permission from City Hall to tag the wall of a disused hotel in Rio’s tourist southern zone as claimed by his entourage,” Agence France-Presse noted .
E! News Brazil previously reported a source from Bieber’s entourage felt the area they were given permission to paint the wall in “was too dangerous” and chose another thinking it was abandoned.
However, it’s now transpired Justin had authorization to paint at a sports facility near to the hotel, but members of his camp say he chose a different location to avoid some fans, BBC Newsbeat reports .
Police have stated the consent given to the singer did not extend to other areas.
(Photo: via Justin Bieber Instagram, captioned “Great shot pap great shot, I might frame this” and posted posted Nov. 7)
Rio authorities are also investigating claims made by the paparazzi who took snaps of Bieber and his crew at the hotel wall. The paps allege they were attacked by the singer’s security.
In a statement, Brazil’s civil police force said they had already interviewed a Bieber rep and would continue to investigate the claims, Britain’s The Guardian noted.
According to reports, the heartthrob left Brazil on Wednesday afternoon via private jet and went to Paraguay, where he performed in the capital Asuncion last night.
The charges against Bieber comes after a brace of headlines over his visit to Brazil and images of him leaving Rio’s Centaurus nightclub — a venue that has previously been raided for prostitution.
Although the singer was covered in a sheet, he was identified from a visible left wrist tattoo and his security team flanking his exit from the club.
Later claims that Justin was asked to leave Rio’s upscale Copacabana Palace hotel after trying to gain entry with two alleged prostitutes who reportedly followed the star back from Centaurus, have been denied by a source who said he left the hotel after fans discovered where he was staying.
On Saturday, the idol walked offstage at his Sao Paulo concert without singing his signature 2010 hit “Baby” after a water bottle thrown from the audience hit his upper arm, knocking a microphone from his hand. A Sunday concert in Rio saw a shirtless fan rush the stage and hug the performer.
Reports of Bieber’s hard partying — and a more sedate tea party-type gathering — with Brazilian females last weekend, are encored by a new YouTube video posted of the singer asleep on a bed while a woman looks on.
Blogger Perez Hilton , and others, claim the woman is a Brazilian known as Tati Neves.
The clip shows Bieber asleep wrapped in a gray blanket with a red, baseball cap hat lying next to him.
Mail Online reports an insider told them “Justin was asleep in his villa when the video was taken.”
“There were a bunch of guys and a bunch of women hanging out, not prostitutes. He fell asleep and someone walked in and took a picture,” the source reportedly added.
As yet there has been no comment from Bieber’s representatives over the graffiti charges, claims of a rushed “Meet and Greet” before his Sao Paulo concert, or the newly-surfaced video.
However, sources close to the singer’s camp have since said he thought the Centaurus club was a private “members’ club” not an adult sex-destination.
Justin has now arrived in Argentina and is set to perform at the Mario Kempes stadium in Cordoba on November 8.
Earlier today, Bieber uploaded a mix of Instagram videos and photos, including images from of his recently tagged graffiti works.
(Photo: via Justin Bieber Instagram, captioned “These are the first beliebers I met in Argentina. You are my all,” posted Nov. 7)
(Photo: via JB Instagram, captioned “What I travel the world for (sic),” posted Nov. 7)