Ronaldo will not face criminal charges in alleged sexual assault case
Cristiano Ronaldo will not face criminal charges on allegations of sexual assault.
The Clark County (Nevada) District Attorney's Office announced in a news release Monday that it will not prosecute the star soccer player on sexual assault allegations stemming from a 2009 encounter in a Las Vegas hotel room.
District Attorney Steve Wolfson's office said it reviewed the findings of a new investigation from the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and determined that Kathryn Mayorga’s claim couldn't be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
"Therefore, no charges will be forthcoming," the District Attorney's office said in the news release.
Mayorga alleged in a lawsuit filed last year that Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d'Or winner, raped her in his room at a resort in Las Vegas on June 13, 2009. She claimed she has dealt with post-traumatic stress disorder and depression in addition to physical injuries related to the incident.
Mayorga's allegations, which were outlined in a lawsuit, triggered a new investigation by Las Vegas police last fall.
The district attorney's office said Monday that police received a call from an unnamed female alleged victim on the date in question, and she was transported to a hospital so that a sexual assault examination could be conducted. But according to the district attorney's office, the alleged victim refused at the time to identify her assailant or specify where the assault occurred, which prevented police from following proper investigative protocol.
Paste BN usually does not name people who allege they are victims of sexual assault. However, Mayorga agreed to let her name be used.
An attorney for Mayorga did not immediately reply to an email from Paste BN Sports on Monday.
Ronaldo's attorney, Peter Christiansen, was traveling Monday and unavailable for comment, according to The Associated Press. Ronaldo has denied the accusations.
Though Ronaldo will not face criminal charges in the case, Mayorga's civil lawsuit is still pending. The complaint, which was originally filed in a Nevada district court, has since been re-filed in federal court and seeks $200 million in damages.
Contributing: A.J. Perez; The Associated Press
Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on Twitter @Tom_Schad.