Football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo will be served a summons over the rape claims against him after lawyers for his accuser finally found his Italian address, according to reports.
Ronaldo is accused of raping US woman Kathryn Mayorga in a Las Vegas hotel room in 2009, with police reopening the case last year. The Portuguese star – now playing at Italian giants Juventus – has vehemently denied the allegations, stating any encounter with Mayorga was consensual.
According to UK paper The Mirror, the case has taken a new turn after lawyers for Mayorga obtained the striker’s address in Turin, meaning he can formally be served with a summons.
Representatives for the player had reportedly declined to give his address, although this is now believed to have been found after trawling through records with Italy’s Central Authority.
The document can be sent via registered post in Italy and is expected to be dispatched in the next few weeks, according to The Mirror.
It follows reports that a US judge allowed Mayorga’s team extra time to track down the 34-year-old former Real Madrid and Manchester United star’s current home.
Later, a team of “fixers” was allegedly sent to coerce Mayorga into accepting $375,000 in hush money over the case – claims which the forward’s representatives also firmly reject, although they acknowledge an agreement existed.
Mayorga went public with the allegations last year, saying she remained traumatized over the encounter and that she had been emboldened by the ‘Me Too’ movement.
Las Vegas police confirmed they had reopened the case, and earlier this year it was reported that they had requested a DNA sample from the striker.
Ronaldo’s team have dismissed documents cited by the media in the case as “fabrications,” while the player himself has said he is “completely calm and very confident” he will be cleared.