The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) has issued a warrant to authorities in Italy seeking DNA from Cristiano Ronaldo in connection to a 2009 incident in which a woman has accused the soccer superstar of raping her.
The LVMPD reopened an investigation into the case in September after a lawsuit was filed by Kathryn Mayorga. Ronaldo has disputed the allegations, saying that the encounter with Mayorga was consensual.
Police Say Warrant is Routine Procedure
Police offered a short statement on the matter, saying that the DNA is wanted in order to test it against that found on a dress belonging to Mayorga. The statement also pointed out that this was a routine request that they would make in any similar investigation.
“The LVMPD is taking the same steps in this case as in any other sexual assault to facilitate the collection of DNA evidence,†LVMPD officer Laura Meltzer said in a statement.
Mayorga filed a civil lawsuit in Nevada in September, alleging that Ronaldo raped her in his hotel room in Las Vegas after meeting her while she was working at the Rain nightclub at the Palms Hotel in 2009. She says that she was coerced into signing a nondisclosure agreement about the incident the next year as part of a settlement in which she was paid $375,000.
In the lawsuit, Mayorga is seeking general, special, and punitive damages, as well as special relief, along with fees and court costs.
Ronaldo Lawyers Play Down Request
Ronaldo strongly denied the accusations back in October after they were reported by German magazine Der Spiegel, saying on Twitter that “rape is an abominable crime that goes against everything that I am and believe in.â€
Lawyer Peter S. Christiansen released a statement in response to the LVMPD request, downplaying the severity of the warrant.
“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,†Christiansen wrote.
Mayorga initially reported the alleged sexual assault on the day that it occurred. While the investigation may have been closed, however, there is no statute of limitations in Nevada on investigations or charges stemming from a sexual assault report.
Ronaldo Still Excelling on the Pitch
Cristiano Ronaldo currently plays for Italian club Juventus, having moved there from Real Madrid last summer on a €117 million ($134 million) transfer fee. The Portuguese forward has won five league titles and five Champions League titles in his club career, along with one European Championship for his country. He is also a five-time Ballon d’Or recipient, an award given annually to the world’s best soccer player.
Ronaldo has scored 14 goals in 19 league matches for Juventus this year. The club is an overwhelming 1/20 favorite to win Serie A this year according to William Hill, and is a 6/1 pick to win the Champions League as well.