A British model who claims she has evidence to “damn” Cristiano Ronaldo is to be questioned by US lawyers who are pursuing a rape claim against the football superstar, it has emerged.
Jasmine Lennard made a string of allegations against Ronaldo on social media last week, and says she dated him in 2008 when he was playing for Manchester United.
Ronaldo, 33, who now plays for Italian side Juventus, has denied ever being in a relationship with Ms Lennard.
He is already battling a claim that he raped 34-year-old American model Kathryn Mayorga in 2009 in a Las Vegas hotel room. He insists he and Ms Mayorga had consensual sex
Ms Lennard, a former Celebrity Big Brother contestant and daughter of a Bond girl, offered to help Ms Mayorga’s case against Ronaldo, and US lawyers for Ms Mayorga are now preparing to fly to the UK to talk to the model.
Larissa Drohobyczer, who is part of Ms Mayorga’s legal team, said they have already spoken to Ms Lennard by phone and attorney Leslie Stovall now wants to meet her in person.
“Mr Stovall’s travel to London will be based upon discussion with London lawyer Jonathan Coad and his client Jasmine Lennard”, she said.
Police in Las Vegas who are investigating the rape claim last week issued a warrant for a DNA sample from Ronaldo. However, his lawyers said it was a “very standard request”.
In a statement today, they added that Ronaldo “has no specific recollection of meeting Ms Lennard 10 years ago or at any point.
“He has not had a relationship with her and he has not had any contact with her, whether in the last 18 months as Ms Lennard suggests, or otherwise.”
His lawyers added that the footballer is considering taking legal action against the British model over her social media posts.
Ronaldo, who moved to Juventus from Real Madrid for nearly £100 million in July, has won the Ballon d’Or — awarded to the world’s best footballer — five times.
The Portuguese international has previously dismissed Ms Mayorga’s allegation as “fake news” and tweeted that he “firmly” denied the accusation.
After the DNA warrant was issued earlier this month, Las Vegas police said they were “taking the same steps in this case as in any other sexual assault to facilitate the collection of DNA evidence” and an official request had been submitted to Italian authorities.
