In a significant twist in the protracted legal battle between Cristiano Ronaldo and Kathryn Mayorga, the woman who accused the football star of rape in 2009, Mayorga's recent appeal against a previously settled hush-money agreement has been denied by the U.S. court, reported by GOAL.
The allegations date back to when Ronaldo was 24 years old, with Mayorga asserting that she was sexually assaulted in a Las Vegas hotel bedroom.
In 2010, Ronaldo opted for a settlement, agreeing to pay Mayorga $335,000 (£267,000) to put the matter to rest. However, leaks in 2017 prompted Mayorga's lawyer, Leslie Mark Stovall, to seek an increase in the settlement to over $25 million.
Stovall cited conspiracy, defamation, breach of contract, coercion, and fraud in his quest for a larger compensation package.
The U.S. District Judge Jennifer Dorsey rejected Stovall's plea in June 2022. Unfazed, Stovall proceeded to appeal, contending that the judge's dismissal was unwarranted and that Mayorga should have the right to disclose the confidentiality agreement publicly.
In a recent ruling, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco aligned with Ronaldo, dismissing Mayorga's appeal and imposing a substantial fine of $335,000 on Stovall.
The court's decision highlighted that, despite the confidentiality agreement, Stovall employed documents from ‘Football Leaks,' obtained through a cyber-hack, to initiate a new lawsuit against Cristiano Ronaldo.
This latest development not only denies Kathryn Mayorga's appeal but also introduces a significant financial penalty for Stovall.
The ruling raises questions about the potential reopening of the case, adding another layer of complexity to the already convoluted legal saga that has spanned over 14 years.
(clutchpoints.com)
