Friday, October 8th, 2021
Rape allegations
Richter wants hiring in the Ronaldo trial
Cristiano Ronaldo is a global soccer superstar, but the Portuguese does not only fight in the stadiums of the world: He is being tried in Las Vegas and a civil case is about serious rape allegations. Now a judge wants the trial to end early.
A US judge has recommended that a civil case be closed against Portuguese soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo on charges of rape. Judge Daniel Albregts recommended Ronaldo’s demand that the case in Las Vegas be suspended.
Albregts justified his recommendation by saying that Leslie Stovall, attorney for plaintiff Kathryn Mayorga, based his action for compensation on communications between Ronaldo and his legal team that had become public in the context of the “Football Leaks” revelations. The exchange between defense lawyers and their clients is under special protection.
Rejecting Mayorga’s lawsuit for “the improper conduct of her attorney is a harsh consequence,” admitted Albregts. If the court does not do this, however, the lawyer’s wrongdoing could “have far-reaching dangerous consequences for the legitimacy of the court process”.
Former US model Mayorga accuses Ronaldo of raping her in a hotel room in Las Vegas in 2009. Because of the resulting psychological problems, her lawyers are demanding up to $ 200 million in compensation. Mayorga reported the alleged rape to the police immediately afterwards on June 13, 2009.
Ronaldo has already paid the plaintiff money
The footballer has always denied the allegations and asserted that the sex was consensual. Criminal proceedings against the Portuguese international were dropped two years ago because the public prosecutor’s office deemed Ronaldo to be convicted as unlikely.
Ronaldo’s lawyer Peter Christiansen welcomed the recommendation that the civil proceedings should now be closed. He was pleased that the court was willing “to apply the law fairly to the facts,” he said. Mayorga’s lawyers initially did not give a statement when asked by the AFP news agency.
In 2019 it became public that money had flowed to the plaintiff in the case. According to attorneys’ court documents, Ronaldo paid Mayorga a total of $ 375,000 under a 2010 agreement. The American had spoken in the past of a kind of hush money that had been paid to her.
Ronaldo’s lawyers said in court documents that the soccer star and Mayorga entered into the agreement to “maintain confidentiality” and “avoid public and costly litigation”. Mayorga’s lawyers wanted to go to court to have the agreement annulled. They argue that she was traumatized at the time of consent.