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US court grants Ronaldo's bid to block accuser in rape case

FILE - In this Sept. 18, 2019, file photo, Juventus' Cristiano Ronaldo looks back during the Champions League Group D soccer match between Atletico Madrid and Juventus at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium in Madrid, Spain. Cristiano Ronaldo's lawyers and attorneys for a Nevada woman accusing the soccer star of raping her in 2009 appeared Thursday, Nov. 7, 2019, before a federal magistrate judge who is new to the case. Kathryn Mayorga's lawsuit alleges she was coerced into a 2010 confidentiality agreement that paid her a $375,000 hush-money payment, and should be awarded more money. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue, File)

LAS VEGAS — Cristiano Ronaldo’s lawyers won a courtroom bid to block a Nevada woman who accuses the soccer star of raping her in 2009 from digging into the validity of their 2010 confidentiality agreement and $375,000 hush-money payment.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel Albregts told Kathryn Mayorga’s attorney on Thursday that it will be up to a higher-level judge to decide if Mayorga’s effort to obtain more money goes to trial or closed-door arbitration.

Ronaldo’s lawyers also won a bid to keep the 2010 settlement sealed, at least for now.

Mayorga’s attorney, Leslie Mark Stovall, argues his client lacked the legal capacity to sign the agreement nine years ago.

The Associated Press generally doesn’t name people who say they’re victims of sexual assault, but Mayorga gave consent through her attorneys to be identified.

Ken Ritter, The Associated Press