Cristiano Ronaldo, sent social media on overdrive following his appearance at a lavish dinner at the White House hosted by US President Donald Trump for Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. This marked Ronaldo’s first visit to the United States since 2014. The footballer had largely stayed away from US soil during that period due to legal uncertainties surrounding allegations dating back to 2009. What exactly was the Ronaldo Rape Case?
History of Cristiano Ronaldo's rape case in US
The case involving Cristiano Ronaldo and Kathryn Mayorga began in the summer of 2009, when Ronaldo visited Las Vegas. During his stay at the Palms Place Hotel, Ronaldo met Mayorga at the Rain nightclub. Mayorga alleged that she and a friend were invited to Ronaldo's suite, where she later claimed he raped her in a bedroom. She filed a complaint with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department the next day but did not initially disclose Ronaldo’s identity or the location out of fear and distress.
Weeks later, after legal counsel, Mayorga named Ronaldo as the alleged attacker. In late 2009, an out-of-court settlement was reached, with Ronaldo’s team reportedly paying Mayorga $375,000 in exchange for her agreement not to go public. Ronaldo maintained that the incident was consensual, a statement echoed by his legal team, “Once again, for the avoidance of doubt, Cristiano Ronaldo’s position has always been, and continues to be, that what happened in 2009 in Las Vegas was completely consensual”.
Cristiano Ronaldo saga continues
The story resurfaced when Der Spiegel published details supplied by Football Leaks in 2017. Mayorga then chose to waive her anonymity and publicly accused Ronaldo. She hired a new lawyer and filed a civil complaint, seeking to void the original settlement. Her allegations included claims that she had been coerced into signing the non-disclosure agreement. Ronaldo continued to strongly deny the accusations, stating, “I firmly deny the accusations being issued against me. Rape is an abominable crime that goes against everything that I am and believe in. Keen as I may be to clear my name, I refuse to feed the media spectacle created by people seeking to promote themselves at my expense.” Mayorga’s legal team pursued the case in both state and federal court, at one point seeking substantial damages.
Investigation reopens
Las Vegas police reopened the investigation in 2018 but, by July 2019, announced that charges would not be pursued due to lack of evidence. US District Judge Jennifer Dorsey dismissed Mayorga’s subsequent civil lawsuit in June 2022, citing misconduct by her attorney for using “purloined” confidential documents and determining it would not be possible for Ronaldo to receive a fair trial. The case was dismissed with prejudice, preventing it from being filed again.
Why Cristiano Ronaldo stayed away from US?
Ronaldo did not return to the United States from 2017 onwards, largely due to the ongoing legal uncertainty surrounding the allegations. Concerns about possible detention or involvement in the reopened investigation led both Ronaldo and his clubs to avoid matches or commitments on US soil. Reports indicated that Juventus, Ronaldo's former club, avoided organizing off-season matches in the US for this reason. The legal cloud and risk of being drawn into American proceedings made it prudent for Ronaldo to stay away until the matter was resolved
