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Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo won't face criminal charges related to a decade-old sexual assault allegation. prosecutors said Monday.
A Nevada woman, Kathryn Mayorga, accused Ronaldo of raping her in his suite at a Las Vegas resort, the city's top prosecutor said. “Based upon a review of the information presented at this time, the allegations of sexual assault against Cristiano Ronaldo cannot be proven beyond a reasonable doubt,” a news release from the Clark County Office of the District Attorney said. “Therefore, no charges will be forthcoming.”
BOXING STAR ANTHONY JOSHUA SLAMMED FOR HAILING CRISTIANO RONALDO AS 'HERO' AMID RAPE ALLEGATIONS
Ronaldo's attorney, Peter Christiansen, did not immediately respond to Fox News’ request for comment, but according to The Associated Press, he has said Ronaldo and Mayorga had consensual sex in 2009.
Mayorga’s attorneys, Leslie Mark Stovall and Larissa Drohobyczer, told AP the former model and schoolteacher, who gave consent through them to make her name public, has a lawsuit pending against the soccer star in a federal court in Las Vegas, accusing him or those in his employ of defamation and breach of contract for allowing terms of a confidential financial settlement to become public.
Stovall reportedly acknowledged that her client received $375,000 in hush money following the encounter. Ronaldo maintained that the agreement was made under pressure from those trying to protect his reputation.
The lawsuit seeks to void the agreement and collect at least $200,000 more from Ronaldo, who is one of the most popular and highly paid players in sports.
Mayorga said Ronaldo sexually assaulted her in June 2009, and she underwent a medical exam at the time, prosecutors said. The initial investigation was closed later that year because Mayorga did not identify her attacker by name, saying only that he was a European soccer player, according to the police. They added that she also did not disclose where the alleged assault was said to have occurred.
“Without knowing the identity of the perpetrator or the location of the crime, detectives were unable to search for and impound vital forensic evidence,” said the Clark County district attorney. “In addition, video evidence, showing interactions between the victim and perpetrator before and after the alleged crime, was lost.”
CRISTIANO RONALDO'S DNA SOUGHT BY INVESTIGATORS IN LAS VEGAS RAPE CASE, LAWYER SAYS
The investigation was reopened last year at Mayorga's request, shortly before she sued Ronaldo. This time Mayorga named Ronaldo as the offender, according to the district attorney's office. She reportedly spoke with police again and authorities obtained a sample of Ronaldo's DNA this year as part of the new investigation.
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Ronaldo plays as a forward for the Italian soccer club Juventus and captains the Portugal national team.
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