Jo, the striker who flopped at Manchester City and Everton amid a journeyman career, has been arrested in Brazil over alleged missed child support payments for his eighth child
Former Manchester City and Everton star Jo has been arrested at an airport for allegedly failing to pay child support. The striker, whose full name is Joao Alves de Assis Silva, was intercepted by Federal Police on Thursday,
Jo, who last played for fourth-tier Brazilian side Itabirito, was approached as he was about to board a flight. The 38-year-old was taken from the scene at Sao Paulo International Airport to a police station in Guarulhos, Brazil.
Jo represented City between 2008 and 2011, playing 21 games and scoring three goals after signing for £19million from CSKA Moscow. The striker had two loan spells at Goodison Park, where he bagged five goals in 27 matches.
It’s not the first time the former Brazil international, who won 23 caps, has been arrested for allegedly failing to pay child support. The Sao Paulo-born ace was apprehended in May 2024, just before a match between his Amazonas side and Ponte Preta in Brazil’s Serie B league.
He was released the next day after his defence team submitted a request that was approved by a court. Jo’s latest arrest came after he reportedly fell behind on child support payments for at least one of his eight children.
His lawyer, Guilherme Motai, told local media: “We were aware of the warrant due to the failure to pay child support. That failure stems from a financial situation that’s unrealistic – it doesn’t reflect the ex-player’s current reality.
“He’s not shirking his responsibilities, but those responsibilities need to be in line with his circumstances.” The case against the 2010/11 FA Cup winner was reportedly brought by influencer Maiara Quiderolly.
She had an affair with Jo while he was still married to Claudia Silva, as reported by NeedToKnow. From that relationship, Joao Gabriel – Jo’s eighth child, and his sixth outside of his marriage – was born.
Maiara and Jo ended their affair after she became pregnant. Jo, who has not yet retired but is currently without a club, scored five times in 20 matches for Brazil between 2007 and 2014.
He won the FIFA Confederations Cup with the Selecao in 2013 and played in the FIFA World Cup the following year. Jo’s previous arrest was also in connection with Maiara and Joao Gabriel.
The sum involved was “reasonably small”, according to Jo’s lawyer at the time, Artur Eugenio Matias. Some reports say his latest arrest was, in fact, in connection with not one but two warrants and two of his children.
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