The Cristiano Ronaldo–Kathryn Mayorga Case: A Timeline of Allegations, Settlements, and Legal Deadlock

On June 12, 2009, Las Vegas was operating as it often does—bright, crowded, and unapologetically indulgent.

That evening, one of the world’s most recognizable athletes, Cristiano Ronaldo, was celebrating a defining moment in his career.

At just 24 years old, the Portuguese footballer had become the most expensive player in history after completing a then–record €94 million transfer from Manchester United to Real Madrid.

The celebration would eventually place him at the center of one of the most controversial legal and reputational disputes in modern sports.

Fourteen years later, the legal battle between Ronaldo and American woman Kathryn Mayorga remains unresolved in the public imagination, marked by allegations of sexual assault, a confidential settlement, leaked documents, and repeated court dismissals.

While criminal charges were ultimately not pursued, the case continues to provoke debate about consent, power, confidentiality agreements, and the limits of the legal system.

A Night in Las Vegas

In the early hours of June 13, 2009, Ronaldo was socializing at Rain Nightclub, one of Las Vegas’s premier venues located inside the Palms Casino Resort.

The club, spanning approximately 25,000 square feet, was filled with nearly 2,000 patrons.

Ronaldo’s presence did not go unnoticed.

Dressed in a white shirt and narrow black tie, the football star stood out among the crowd, accompanied by friends, associates, and acquaintances—some of whom he had met only hours earlier.

Among those in attendance was Kathryn Mayorga, a 25-year-old Las Vegas native.

Born on May 30, 1984, Mayorga was raised by her parents, Larry Mayorga, a firefighter, and Cheryl Mayorga, a homemaker.

Growing up, she struggled with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and learning disabilities, which made her academic years challenging.

Despite this, she graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, with a degree in journalism.

At the time, Mayorga was living with her parents following a brief marriage that had ended in divorce.

She occasionally worked as a model and socialized within Las Vegas nightlife circles.

According to later accounts, she was informed of Ronaldo’s presence at Rain by a friend and was eventually invited into the nightclub’s VIP area, which required biometric access.

Photographs taken that night would later circulate widely online, capturing Ronaldo and Mayorga together.

Shortly thereafter, Ronaldo allegedly invited Mayorga and her friend to his penthouse suite at Palms Place, a luxury condo hotel adjacent to the casino.

Mayorga accepted the invitation, a decision that would profoundly affect the course of her life.

Diverging Accounts

The penthouse suite, Room 5736, featured panoramic views of the Las Vegas Strip and included a whirlpool tub.

According to Mayorga’s later statements, she initially hesitated to participate in activities taking place in the suite, citing an early photoshoot the next morning and concern about damaging her clothing.

She was reportedly offered alternative clothing and went to the bathroom to change.

From this point forward, the accounts of what occurred diverge sharply.

Ronaldo has consistently acknowledged that sexual activity occurred between the two but has maintained that it was entirely consensual.

Mayorga, however, has alleged that she repeatedly refused sexual advances and that the encounter occurred without her consent.

She later described the experience as traumatic and stated that she left the suite shortly afterward with her friend, visibly distressed but initially unwilling to disclose what had happened.

In the weeks that followed, Mayorga underwent a sexual assault forensic examination at University Medical Center in Las Vegas.

Medical records noted injuries consistent with her account.

She also contacted law enforcement but initially declined to name her alleged assailant, referring only to a “well-known athlete.”

The Settlement

Rather than proceeding directly through the criminal justice system, Mayorga was advised by a family acquaintance who was also an attorney to consider an out-of-court resolution.

On January 12, 2010, Mayorga, accompanied by legal counsel, met with representatives for Ronaldo in Las Vegas.

Ronaldo himself did not attend but was kept informed through his attorney, Carlos Osório de Castro, via text messages.

After approximately 12 hours of mediation, the parties reached an agreement.

Ronaldo agreed to pay Mayorga approximately $375,000, which included mediation costs and legal fees.

In exchange, Mayorga signed a confidentiality agreement that prohibited her from publicly discussing the incident, naming Ronaldo, or pursuing further legal action related to the encounter.

She also agreed to withdraw her police complaint.

At the time, the settlement appeared to conclude the matter.

Football Leaks and Renewed Scrutiny

The case resurfaced in December 2016, when the investigative journalism network European Investigative Collaborations, in partnership with German magazine Der Spiegel, published articles based on leaked documents from the Football Leaks platform.

Among the materials was an alleged email exchange involving Ronaldo’s legal team that included a detailed description of the encounter.

According to the document, Ronaldo allegedly acknowledged that Mayorga had said “no” multiple times and expressed regret afterward.

Ronaldo and his representatives immediately denied the authenticity of the documents, stating that they had been fabricated or manipulated.

They reiterated that the encounter was consensual and that the settlement was reached solely to avoid public scrutiny.

The publication reignited public debate and placed the case back into the international spotlight.

Legal Reopening Attempts

Following the leaks, Mayorga changed legal representation, hiring attorney Leslie Mark Stovall.

In 2018, Stovall filed a civil lawsuit against Ronaldo in Nevada, arguing that the confidentiality agreement was invalid because Mayorga lacked the mental capacity to understand it fully at the time and had been coerced into signing.

The lawsuit sought to void the settlement and claimed damages exceeding $65 million.

The timing coincided with the broader cultural shift brought on by the #MeToo movement, which altered how sexual assault allegations were discussed and perceived globally.

In July 2019, the Clark County District Attorney’s Office announced it would not pursue criminal charges against Ronaldo, citing insufficient evidence to prove the allegations beyond a reasonable doubt.

This decision did not prevent the civil case from continuing.

However, in April 2021, U.S.District Judge Jennifer Dorsey dismissed Mayorga’s civil lawsuit.

The dismissal was based largely on findings that her legal team had relied on improperly obtained leaked documents.

The judge ruled that attorney misconduct had irreparably compromised the integrity of the case, effectively ending Mayorga’s opportunity to pursue civil damages.

Continued Legal Efforts

Despite the dismissal, Mayorga’s legal team has continued efforts to revive the case.

In October 2023, attorneys argued before a U.S.appellate court in an attempt to reopen the lawsuit.

As of now, no final ruling has been publicly announced.

Ronaldo, now one of the most decorated footballers in history, has continued his career largely uninterrupted, playing for clubs across Europe and later in Saudi Arabia.

He has consistently denied all allegations and has never been criminally charged in connection with the case.

Public Impact and Unanswered Questions

The Ronaldo–Mayorga case occupies a complicated space between legal outcomes and public perception.

For supporters of Ronaldo, the absence of criminal charges and the existence of a settlement are viewed as vindication.

For others, the leaked documents and Mayorga’s persistence raise broader questions about confidentiality agreements, power imbalances, and access to justice.

While the courts have repeatedly ruled in Ronaldo’s favor, the case underscores the limitations of legal mechanisms in resolving deeply personal and contested allegations.

It also illustrates how fame, wealth, and legal strategy can shape outcomes in ways that remain controversial.

Conclusion

More than a decade after a night in Las Vegas altered two lives, the Cristiano Ronaldo–Kathryn Mayorga case remains emblematic of the complexities surrounding sexual assault allegations involving public figures.

With no criminal conviction, a voided civil lawsuit, and ongoing appeals, the story remains legally unresolved yet culturally significant.

Until a final ruling is issued—or unless new evidence emerges—the case stands as a reminder that not all disputes find closure in courtrooms.

Some remain suspended between legal finality and public debate, leaving lasting questions about truth, accountability, and justice.