Team USA swimmer Jimmy Feigen says Brazilian officials tried to shake him down following the gas station incident in Rio ... demanding more than $46,000 to let him leave the country.
Feigen just spelled out the situation in a statement through his lawyer -- saying on the day he was scheduled to leave Rio -- hell broke loose at a Brazilian courthouse.
Feigen says he was given two options:
Option 1 -- Remain in Brazil while the police continued the investigation. "This process was estimated to take at least a month and I would be required to remain in Brazil.