Donald Trump has reportedly asked China’s president, Xi Jinping, to help settle the case of LiAngelo Ball and his UCLA teammates who got caught up in an international shoplifting scandal.
According to a White House spokesman, Trump spoke with Xi during a visit to Beijing last week that came shortly after the three Bruins freshmen had been questioned in connection with the theft of designer sunglasses from a high-end shopping mall in Hangzhou, China, where the UCLA hoops team was staying in advance of their game against Georgia Tech.
Ball, Cody Riley and Jalen Hill have remained at in China under house arrest at their hotel, awaiting resolution of their case. The rest of the Bruins team and coaching staff returned to Los Angeles after defeating the Yellow Jackets, 63-60, in Shanghai.
Authorities in China are reported to have surveillance footage of the players stealing items from three different stores.
Right now, it remains uncertain as to whether the players would be allowed to return to the United States, and if they are, when.
