US appeals court hears arguments over 2010 hush-money settlement of Ronaldo rape case in Vegas

By KEN RITTER and SCOTT SONNER
Associated Press

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Lawyers for international soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo were back in court in a legal battle over the hush money he allegedly paid in 2010 to a woman who accused him of raping her in Las Vegas. A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard about 45 minutes of oral arguments Wednesday on the woman’s bid to overturn last year’s dismissal of the case. Her lawyers say Ronaldo owes her millions of dollars more than the $370,000 he paid earlier because someone in his camp was responsible for violating their confidentiality agreement. Ronaldo maintained the sex was consensual. No immediate ruling is expected Wednesday.