He is said to have worn his Team USA jacket while storming the building
An ex-Olympic gold medallist is to be charged with involvement in the recent US Capitol insurrection.
Klete Keller, now 38, won medals at the 2000, 2004, and 2008 Olympic Games. He secured gold for the USA in the 4×200 metre freestyle relay by swimming the final leg.
He now stands accused of storming the US Capitol a week last Wednesday. Pro-Trump supporters stormed the building while Congress was reaffirming Electoral College votes.
Police were attacked and the violent pro-Trump mob even breached Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s offices.
Keller is now facing three federal charges in total:
- Civil disorder
- Knowingly entering a restricted building
- Violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds
Buzzfeed reported that Keller was identified according to the Team USA jacket he was wearing during the riots.
According to criminal proceedings filed against Keller, “PERSON 1 can be seen standing in the Rotunda still wearing the dark-colored USA jacket, which also appears to bear a Nike logo on the front right side and a red and
white Olympic patch on the front left side.”
This individual was identified as Keller. Numerous individuals have come forward to say that Keller had been a frequent poster of pro-Trump content on social media. His accounts have since been deleted, however.
In the years since retiring from swimming, Keller seems to have suffered his fair share of struggles.
He struggled to hold down careers in sales and debt trading, later telling USA Swimming of the impact retiring had had on his personal life.
He said: “Swimmer had been my identity for most of my life, and then I quickly transitioned to other roles and never gave myself time to get comfortable with them. I really struggled with things. I didn’t enjoy my work, and that unhappiness and lack of identity started creeping into my marriage.”
After the break-up of his marriage, Keller was most recently working as a contractor with a real estate company.
The company posted a statement to its social media channels in which it stated Keller had resigned from his position, and was no longer working with them.
