Las Vegas Police Open Investigation into Rape Allegations, Issue Warrant for Cristiano Ronaldo's DNA in Rape Case

Authorities in Las Vegas issued a warrant for Cristiano Ronaldo's DNA on Thursday in order to see if it matches that on the dress of a woman who accused him of rape, according to the Wall Street Journal. The warrant was reportedly sent to Italy where Ronaldo currently plays for Juventus.

Kathryn Mayorga filed a lawsuit against Ronaldo in September alleging that the Portuguese soccer star raped her in Las Vegas in 2009. She went public with her accusation in a detailed story in German outlet Der Spiegel. Authorities are now asking for Ronaldo's DNA to see if it matches that found on Mayorga's dress from the 2009 night in question.

Ronaldo, who joined Juventus in July after nine years with Real Madrid, has maintained his innocence in all public comments and statements since the accusation was published, initially dismissing the story as "fake news" in a casual Instagram Live video before issuing more formal statements through his representation.

"Mr. Ronaldo has always maintained, as he does today, that what occurred in 2009 in Las Vegas was consensual in nature," Ronaldo's lawyer Peter Christiansen wrote in a statement in October.

Christiansen also added that: "Mr. Ronaldo vehemently denies all of the allegations in the complaint and has consistently maintained that denial for the last nine years. The documents which purportedly contain statements by Mr. Ronaldo and have been reported in the media are complete fabrications. "In 2015, dozens of entities across many different industries (including law firms) throughout Europe were hacked and their electronic data was stolen and captured by a cyber criminal."

The Las Vegas Police Department reopened its investigation in early October, with Thursday's developments the first significant ones that have appeared to move the case forward.