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Has Cristiano Ronaldo been criminally charged for rape?
Executive summary
Available reporting shows Cristiano Ronaldo has been the subject of a long-running allegation that he raped Kathryn Mayorga in Las Vegas in 2009, but prosecutors decided in 2019 not to bring criminal charges and U.S. civil litigation tied to the allegation was dismissed in 2022 (see Clark County DA decision and the federal judge’s dismissal) [1] [2]. Multiple outlets explicitly state “Ronaldo has never been charged” and that prosecutors could not prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt [3] [4].
1. What prosecutors decided: no criminal charges filed
Las Vegas police reopened an investigation after Mayorga’s 2018 civil filing, but Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson reviewed the matter and in 2019 concluded there was not enough evidence to prove the allegations “beyond a reasonable doubt,” so he did not pursue criminal charges [1] [4]. Major news organizations report that decision and summarize that prosecutors chose not to indict or charge Ronaldo [2] [5].
2. Civil case versus criminal case: different standards and outcomes
The dispute has played out primarily in civil court as Mayorga sought damages and later tried to challenge a 2010 settlement; federal judges and appeals courts handled those procedural fights. A U.S. judge dismissed the civil rape lawsuit in June 2022 because the plaintiff’s attorney used leaked and allegedly stolen documents in the case, a dismissal described as a “severe sanction” against the lawyer [1] [2]. The dismissal of a civil suit is separate from the earlier prosecutorial decision not to charge criminally [2] [4].
3. What the reporting documents about the allegation itself
Reporting by Der Spiegel and other outlets lays out Mayorga’s allegation that the encounter in 2009 was non‑consensual and notes a subsequent $375,000 payment described in documents as part of a settlement and non‑disclosure agreement [6] [7]. Accounts also note that Mayorga underwent a rape‑kit exam and described injuries, details that appear in reporting but do not change the legal outcomes described above [7].
4. Court findings about legal process and document use
The federal judge’s 2022 dismissal emphasized misconduct by the plaintiff’s attorney in repeatedly using leaked and privileged documents to prosecute the civil claim; that conduct led the judge to dismiss the case with prejudice as a sanction, not to resolve the underlying factual dispute in favor of either party [1] [2]. Subsequent appeals litigation focused on whether the civil case could be reopened or the settlement challenged; some appeals were denied, and courts have repeatedly referenced the earlier prosecutorial decision [3] [8].
5. How reputable outlets summarize the legal status
The BBC, The Guardian, AP, NPR and others have stated consistently that Ronaldo “has never been charged” or that prosecutors decided not to pursue criminal charges because evidence could not meet the criminal‑law standard [2] [3] [4] [1]. Those outlets present parallel timelines: allegation → settlement/NDAs reported via leaked documents → renewed civil suit → prosecutor review and no criminal charges → civil case dismissal and appeals.
6. What these documents and rulings do—and do not—establish
Court actions in these stories address legal process (settlements, use of leaked materials, sanctions) and prosecutorial discretion; they do not constitute a criminal conviction or a judicial finding of innocence. Available sources do not mention any criminal indictment or trial of Ronaldo arising from these allegations after the 2019 declination by the Clark County DA [4] [2]. The civil litigation outcomes were driven by procedural rulings about evidence and lawyer conduct rather than adjudication of guilt in a criminal sense [2] [1].
7. Competing perspectives and potential agendas in coverage
Der Spiegel and other outlets published investigative material based on leaked documents that pushed the story into public view, while Ronaldo’s legal team and spokespeople have long asserted the documents were stolen, altered, or mischaracterized and that any payment was not an admission of guilt [6] [7]. Advocacy for survivors’ rights and outlets highlighting procedural barriers have criticized how settlements and non‑disclosure agreements can affect criminal reporting; contrarily, defense statements emphasize the legal findings (no charges) and the judge’s sanctions against the plaintiff’s attorney for using leaked material [1] [2].
8. Bottom line for the original query
Based on the available reporting in the provided sources, Cristiano Ronaldo has not been criminally charged in connection with the 2009 allegation: prosecutors reviewed the matter and chose not to charge in 2019, and subsequent civil litigation was dismissed largely for procedural reasons [4] [2] [1]. If you want continued updates, appellate filings and news outlets have tracked later efforts by the accuser’s attorneys to revive or challenge the civil settlement [3] [8].