Ronaldo won’t face rape charge in Vegas

LAS VEGAS

Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo won’t face criminal charges after a woman accused him of raping her in his suite at a Las Vegas resort more than 10 years ago, a top prosecutor said Monday.

A new investigation by Las Vegas police failed to show Kathryn Mayorga’s claim could be proven at trial beyond a reasonable doubt, Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said. “Therefore, no charges will be forthcoming,” Wolfson said in a statement.

The decision represented a victory on one of two legal tracks tied to the 2009 allegation.

In a lawsuit still pending in federal court, Mayorga alleges she was pressured to sign an agreement to keep quiet in exchange for $375,000. Her lawyers want to void the deal and collect at least $200,000 more from Ronaldo.

Ronaldo’s attorneys have acknowledged the soccer star and Mayorga had consensual sex in June 2009, but they denied it was rape. Atty. Peter Christiansen was traveling Monday and wasn’t immediately available to comment.

Attorneys for Mayorga, a former model and schoolteacher, did not immediately respond to telephone, text and email messages.

The Associated Press generally does not name people who say they are victims of sexual assault, but Mayorga gave consent through her lawyers to make her name public.

Associated Press