Ronaldo lawyers to sue Der Spiegel over 'illegal' report

[rooster59]

Ronaldo lawyers to sue Der Spiegel over 'illegal' report

 

FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Serie A - Juventus v Bologna - Allianz Stadium, Turin, Italy - September 26, 2018 Juventus' Cristiano Ronaldo before the match REUTERS/Massimo Pinca/File Photo

 

LISBON (Reuters) - Lawyers for Cristiano Ronaldo said on Friday they would sue German magazine Der Spiegel after it published "blatantly illegal" accusations by an American woman who alleges she was raped by the Portuguese soccer star in 2009.

 

Ronaldo's lawyer Christian Schertz said in a statement the report was "an inadmissible reporting of suspicions in the area of privacy", and that he would seek legal redress for his client from the magazine.

 

The statement was sent to Reuters by Ronaldo's agent Gestifute in response to a request for comment on the Der Spiegel story. Gestifute did not answer any specific questions about the content of the Der Spiegel report, which Reuters was unable to independently verify.

 

Ronaldo is one of the biggest names in world sport. He has been named player of the year five times and transferred to Juventus from Real Madrid this summer for 100 million euros. The Italian club declined to comment on the Der Spiegel report.

 

The magazine said the rape allegedly took place in June 2009 in a hotel room in Las Vegas, according to Leslie Mark Stovall, lawyer for the alleged victim, Kathryn Mayorga.

 

Ronaldo and Mayorga then reached an out-of-court agreement, according to Stovall as reported in the magazine.

 

It said, according to Stovall, that she had pledged never to speak of the accusation again and Ronaldo paid her $375,000.

 

"Kathryn was sexually assaulted in June 2009 by an individual named Cristiano Ronaldo," Mayorga's lawyer, Leslie Mark Stovall, said in a video published online by Der Spiegel.

 

Reuters was not able to independently verify Mayorga's allegations.

 

Stovall did not immediately respond to email requests from Reuters for comment on the report and Mayorga was not available for comment in telephone calls to her home.

 

Her lawyer told Der Spiegel, however, that he had filed a civil complaint seeking to declare the non-disclosure agreement void.

 

"The purpose of this lawsuit is to hold Cristiano Ronaldo responsible within a civil court of law for the injuries he has caused Kathryn Mayorga and the consequences of those injuries," Stovall told Der Spiegel.

 

Schertz said he would seek compensation from Der Spiegel for "moral damages in an amount corresponding to the gravity of the infringement, which is probably one of the most serious violations of personal rights in recent years."

 

The magazine's Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Alfred Weinzierl, told Reuters that Der Spiegel had repeatedly written to Ronaldo's management and lawyers about the allegations before publishing its report.

 

"We sent written questions, to which there were no answers. Nobody sued us in connection with earlier Ronaldo reports," he said in an email.

 

Mayorga told Der Spiegel she no longer felt bound by the non-disclosure agreement as she suffers from the consequences of the night nine years ago.

 

"I've had like these serious breakdowns," she told the magazine. "And again, blaming of the rape. And I blame him, and I blame myself for signing that thing."

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2018-09-29

[Retiredandhappyhere]

Surely, as she is breaking the non-disclosure agreement, presumably in search of even more money, she should start by returning the alleged payment of $375000?  I believe that this "Me too" campaign has got completely out of hand.

 

I fully understand a woman's reluctance to report an alleged rape but, once having accepted a settlement agreement, is that not her agreement to call an end to the matter, as otherwise what is the point of the agreement?  In all fairness, there should be (perhaps) a 5 year statute of limitations on reporting alleged rapes or other sexual wrongdoings, since a man's reputation and future can be totally ruined (innocent or not) by such allegations.  Witness the American Judge's predicament just now in the USA.  His accuser's alleged attempted rape happened nearly 40 years ago, when they were both teenagers.  Surely by now, it can only be a case of "he said, she said", while his reputation and possibly his intended promotion, go down the drain, whether or not he is innocent.

[Credo]

20 minutes ago, Retiredandhappyhere said:

Surely, as she is breaking the non-disclosure agreement, presumably in search of even more money, she should start by returning the alleged payment of $375000?  I believe that this "Me too" campaign has got completely out of hand.

 

I fully understand a woman's reluctance to report an alleged rape but, once having accepted a settlement agreement, is that not her agreement to call an end to the matter, as otherwise what is the point of the agreement?  In all fairness, there should be (perhaps) a 5 year statute of limitations on reporting alleged rapes or other sexual wrongdoings, since a man's reputation and future can be totally ruined (innocent or not) by such allegations.  Witness the American Judge's predicament just now in the USA.  His accuser's alleged attempted rape happened nearly 40 years ago, when they were both teenagers.  Surely by now, it can only be a case of "he said, she said", while his reputation and possibly his intended promotion, go down the drain, whether or not he is innocent.

There are some folks here who are more knowledgeable of the legalities, but there is one big difference.   Ronaldo is covered by a legal settlement, a payment and a non-disclosure agreement.   Kavanaugh is not on trial.   He is being considered for an appointment to the Supreme Court.   His is more like a job interview.   

 

Ronaldo, in making the agreement, conceded that the facts were essentially true and the event happened.   

 

[Burma Bill]

Well I never - not "off side" but a "bit on the side"!

[Kadilo]

So she’s run out of money then.


Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect

[welovesundaysatspace]

Amazing that apparently it’s possible to settle a rape case by paying off someone. I though these things only happen in Thailand. 

 

A proper justice system should not allow to let the rich get away with it. 

 

And why exactly is he suing the magazine? The case is public anyway: http://www.spiegel.de/media/media-43488.pdf

Edited September 30, 2018 by welovesundaysatspace

[Credo]

7 hours ago, welovesundaysatspace said:

Amazing that apparently it’s possible to settle a rape case by paying off someone. I though these things only happen in Thailand. 

 

A proper justice system should not allow to let the rich get away with it. 

 

And why exactly is he suing the magazine? The case is public anyway: http://www.spiegel.de/media/media-43488.pdf

The pivotal thing which will result in legal action is if the rape was reported.  If it was, then the accused will usually be arrested and the legal system kicks in.   If the victim doesn't report it to the police, then most anything can happen.

 

Even if it is reported, much of what happens afterwards depends on the victim.   If she refuses to testify, then there isn't going to be much of a case.   So, for better or worse, many cases such as these can be settled for a monetary settlement.   Famous and wealthy people have the amounts that many people are willing to settle for.   

[sanemax]

9 hours ago, Credo said:

Ronaldo, in making the agreement, conceded that the facts were essentially true and the event happened.   

 

 

    He is accepting that something did happen in the room .

They had sex , but the rape allegation hasnt been proven .

[Lupatria]

2 hours ago, sanemax said:

 

    He is accepting that something did happen in the room .

They had sex , but the rape allegation hasnt been proven .

Then why and what for did he pay???

[CharlieH]

Reported post removed

[fanjita]

Ronaldo's an odd one, okay.  Haven't got him down as a rapist, though.