Juventus star Cristiano Ronaldo has been served with court
papers related to a rape lawsuit in the United States, according to
documents filed by his lawyers on Friday.
Five-time world player of the year Ronaldo is accused of rape by
Kathryn Mayorga, who claims the Portuguese soccer star assaulted
her in a Las Vegas hotel in 2009.
Ronaldo, 34, the former Manchester United and Real Madrid
player, has strongly denied the accusations against him, insisting
their encounter was consensual.
The legal process in the civil case had been held up as “federal
court’s rules on serving foreigners” meant an identical state-level
case needed to be dropped, Mayorga’s attorney said last week.
A motion filed in federal court in Nevada on Friday said “the
parties have agreed to deem Defendant effectively served,” meaning
Ronaldo has officially received court documents in the case,
allowing it to move forward.
Former model Mayorga made the accusations against Ronaldo, who
now lives in Turin, in a complaint filed last year.
She said that while she had agreed to a financial settlement
with Ronaldo shortly after the alleged incident, her emotional
trauma at the time did not allow her to participate in the
mediation process.
Mayorga’s attorney added that the model agreed to an
out-of-court settlement to keep her name from going public, but was
inspired to speak out by the #MeToo movement against sexual
harassment.
Ronaldo’s lawyers have said that the non-disclosure agreement
signed with Mayorga was “by no means a confession of guilt”.
Following her renewed accusations, Las Vegas police reopened an
investigation last year.
Ronaldo is widely considered one of the greatest footballers in
the history of the game, having won the Champions League title five
times — once with Manchester United and four times with Real
Madrid.
He also led Portugal to the Euro 2016 title in France.
AFP.
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