Cristiano Ronaldo Accused Of Rape By Former Las Vegas Model, Sued

Kathryn Mayorga (34) has accused Cristiano Ronaldo of raping her in a Las Vegas hotel room in 2009. As per reports, she has filed a lawsuit for the same. 

The lawsuit

German publisher Der Spiegel first reported Mayorga’s claims in 2017. The magazine did not name her then. Der Spiegel published a report last Friday, post which everyone identified her. At the time of the 2017 report, Ronaldo’s representatives had denied these claims.

Mayorga, a former model of Las Vegas, accused him in a 32-page complaint filed last month with a district court in Nevada. The incident, as per reports, took place on June 13, 2009. Mayorga alleges that she was pressured into signing a nondisclosure agreement to keep the rape a secret. She is seeking no less than $200,000 in penalties and damages.

Mayorga said she met Ronaldo, now 33, on the evening of June 12, 2009 at the Rain Nightclub in the Palms Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The lawsuit also accuses the footballer and his team of taking advantage of her fragile state to coerce her into signing a settlement and nondisclosure agreement in 2009. She claims to have received $375,000 in exchange for her silence.

The suit further accuses him of coercion and fraud, racketeering and civil conspiracy, and abuse of process. Ronaldo's team, as per the suit, also threatened her with public humiliation.

The incident

According to the suit, Mayorga went to the nightclub and was allegedly invited by Ronaldo to go back to his penthouse suite along with a group of people. She recalled that some guests opted to use the hot tub on the suite balcony. The soccer star offered her clothing to wear as she didn’t have a swimsuit at the time. She claims he gave her athletic shorts and a T-shirt and suggested her to change in the bathroom.

Ronaldo then allegedly barged into the bathroom and asked her to perform oral sex, which she refused right away. Mayorga recalled that she wanted to leave and walked out of the bathroom but Ronaldo pulled her onto a bed and forced himself on her.

Mayorga claims she refused, again, covering herself and screaming a big  “no", but he raped her regardless. Ronaldo, according to her, apologised then, stating that “he was usually a gentleman.”

The aftermath

Mayorga claims she has had a traumatic experience ever since the incident. She suffered bodily injuries including anal contusions, and has undergone post-traumatic stress disorder and depression as a result. She says she struggled to maintain relationships and even hold onto a job.

Police confirm responding to a sexual assault complaint

The lawsuit states Mayorga reported the assault to Las Vegas police the same day and underwent an examination at a local hospital.

The Las Vegas Police Department confirmed responding to a call of sexual assault on June 13, 2009. However, they said, Mayorga did not provide them with a location or the description of the suspect. In a statement to PEOPLE, the police department said the case has been reopened and detectives are following up on information from the survivor. They said the case is now under investigation. 

Ronaldo calls it "fake-news"

Ronaldo rejected the charges as "fake news" during a live chat on Instagram. "What they said today, fake -- fake news," the Portuguese national said in a post which he later deleted.

Mayorga holds a degree in journalism from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. In an interview with Der Spiegel, she said the #MeToo movement inspired her to come forward.

Picture Credit: Newsmobile

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