Cristiano Ronaldo’s legal team has asked for his rape case to be thrown out of court, claiming his accuser’s lawyers secretly gave stolen papers to police investigators.
The footballer, 36, set to star at this month’s Euros, is accused by former model Kathryn Mayorga of sexually assaulting her in a Las Vegas hotel after a night out in 2009.
Her claims were settled out of court 12 years ago, with the 37-year-old receiving a £375,000 lump sum from the Portuguese striker.
However, in 2018 she began proceedings to have her initial settlement overturned, arguing it was signed under duress.
She is pursuing the Juventus star through a Vegas court demanding £56million in damages and costs.
(Image: WENN)
He vehemently denies her claims and his team Christiansen Trial Lawyers now alleges her attorney used underhand tactics.
They filed an emergency motion for Stovall and Associates, to be disqualified and the case to be dismissed, and another to seal all sensitive documents.
They claim Leslie Stovall failed to disclose hundreds of documents relating to the police investigation, hacked by the Football Leaks site.
(Image: Getty Images North America)
(Image: Getty Images)
Ronaldo’s lawyers also say Mayorga’s team approached the hackers for more documents, without disclosing this to court.
They claim Stovall’s gave the hacked documents to Las Vegas police to try and get the case reopened.
The motion says: “Because of such egregious misconduct, no sanction less than dismissal will suffice.”
Stovall and Associates was approached for comment.