Fake news, they want to promote themselves: Cristiano Ronaldo on rape allegation

It was the summer of 2009, the year Cristiano Ronaldo left Manchester United to join Real Madrid, becoming, in turn, the most expensive player in the world, worth a whopping €94 million.

Nine years ago, on that day he was accused of raping a woman named Kathryn Mayorga who was 25 at that time and worked at a bar in Las Vegas. He allegedly bought her silence for $375,000, the amount her earned every week at Real Madrid.

The victim has now spoken up. Kathyrn Mayorga was born and raised in Las Vegas, suffered from a learning disability and played softball and soccer in her youth.

The incident, according to a report in Der Spiegel took place on June 12, 2009, in a Las Vegas nightclub. Ronaldo was there on vacation with his brother-in-law and cousin. Their pictures together went viral around the world at the time and gossip pages tried to figure out her identity.

When the first article appeared, Ronaldo’s agency had called the exchange ‘journalistic fiction’.

However, Der Spiegel, a weekly news magazine, says it has documents to prove its allegations. 

The report states that Mayorga signed a non-disclosure agreement which her current lawyer believes is not legally binding. The documents include Ronaldo’s statement in which he admits to rape stating: "She said no and stop several times."

The footballer has called the report fake news.

"No, no, no, no, no. What they said today? Fake, fake news. They want to promote [themselves by using] my name. It’s normal. They want to be famous to say my name, but it is part of the job. I am a happy man and all good," the Juventus star was quoted as saying by Mirror.co.uk.

*@Cristiano Ronaldo spoke about the rumored rape allegation against him* . You don't need to explain anything to anyone king, we know you and we know what kind of person you are. No need to give any explanation to anyone, we are with you, as always. pic.twitter.com/L3WdwhThSy

— B3 (@b3naldo7) September 29, 2018

With inputs from Reuters