Las Vegas police have asked soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo to submit a
DNA sample as part of their investigation into accusations of rape made
against the Juventus forward.
DNA sample as part of their investigation into accusations of rape made
against the Juventus forward.
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| Cristiano Ronaldo |
Ronaldo’s lawyer, Peter Christiansen, played down the significance of
the warrant sent to authorities in Italy, telling AFP in a statement on
Thursday it was standard procedure.
the warrant sent to authorities in Italy, telling AFP in a statement on
Thursday it was standard procedure.
“Mr Ronaldo has always maintained, as he does today, that what
occurred in Las Vegas in 2009 was consensual in nature, so it is not
surprising that DNA would be present, nor that the police would make
this very standard request as part of their investigation,” the
statement said.
occurred in Las Vegas in 2009 was consensual in nature, so it is not
surprising that DNA would be present, nor that the police would make
this very standard request as part of their investigation,” the
statement said.
A former American model, Kathryn Mayorga, 34, of Las Vegas, accused
Ronaldo in a complaint filed last year in Nevada of raping her on June
13, 2009 just before he joined Real Madrid from Manchester United.
Ronaldo in a complaint filed last year in Nevada of raping her on June
13, 2009 just before he joined Real Madrid from Manchester United.
Ronaldo, 33, has vehemently denied the allegations and has been backed by his current club.
Mayorga alleges that the sportsman raped her at a Las Vegas hotel and she was reportedly paid $375,000 to keep quiet.
Ronaldo’s lawyers have said that the non-disclosure agreement signed
with the former model is “by no means a confession of guilt.”
with the former model is “by no means a confession of guilt.”
Mayorga’s attorney has previously said 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.
out-of-court settlement to keep her name from going public but was
inspired to speak out by the #MeToo movement.
She met Ronaldo at a Vegas nightclub, according to her complaint, and
accompanied him and other people to his hotel suite where the alleged
attack took place.
accompanied him and other people to his hotel suite where the alleged
attack took place.
Mayorga’s attorney could not immediately be reached for comment on Thursday.
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