Cristiano Ronaldo, the renowned football superstar, faces renewed legal scrutiny as his lawyers are set to defend him in court over a payment made to Kathryn Mayorga in 2010. Mayorga, who has chosen not to maintain anonymity, alleges that Ronaldo sexually assaulted her in a Las Vegas hotel room back in June 2009. She received $375,000 (£275,000) from Ronaldo in what’s been termed as ‘hush money’. Ronaldo has consistently refuted the allegations.
Last year, a lawsuit aimed at securing an additional settlement from Ronaldo was thrown out by US District Judge Jennifer Dorsey, citing bad-faith conduct and the illicit use of confidential documents. However, today’s hearing at a US appeals court is focused on potentially reopening Mayorga’s case, pushing for an increased financial settlement from Ronaldo.
Mayorga’s attorneys are approaching the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals with the intent to overturn the prior dismissal of the lawsuit that was originally lodged in Nevada in 2018. The crux of their argument revolves around claiming errors by the federal court judge in Nevada, who, in their view, wrongly rejected Mayorga’s requests to introduce the 2010 confidentiality agreement she signed with Ronaldo as evidence.
Ronaldo, while addressing the issue in October 2018, stated, “I firmly deny the accusations being issued against me. Rape is an abominable crime that goes against everything that I am and believe in.” His legal representatives have reiterated that the incident was consensual and that the confidentiality agreement signed prohibits both parties from discussing it.
Ronaldo, now 38 and with a storied career including stints at football giants Real Madrid, Juventus, and Manchester United, currently plays for Saudi Arabian team Al Nassr FC. His contract with the team, reportedly worth £177m annually, stands as the most lucrative deal in football history.