Premier League star ‘ordered to undergo psychiatric evaluation after being accused of drugging and raping model’
NOTTINGHAM FOREST loanee Gonzalo Montiel has been ordered to return to Argentina for a psychiatric evaluation after being accused of rape.
The incident between the World Cup winner, 27, and a model is alleged to have taken place at his birthday party on January 1, 2019 when he was playing for River Plate.
Montiel, whose friend Alexis Acosta is also under investigation, has been accused of drugging and raping the woman.
The alleged victim also claims she was threatened by the player’s relatives and associates following the incident.
According to national media, Montiel, who denies any wrongdoing, has been ordered to fly back to Argentina to see a psychiatrist on September 17 and 20.
Acosta will undergo the same evaluation on September 2 and 5.
Karina Nacucchio, Montiel’s partner, has publicly supported the Forest loanee – who is set to return to Sevilla at the end of the season.
Prior to being told he was the subject of a formal investigation, Montiel voluntarily testified before a judge in June last year.
The testimony came six months after he had scored the winning penalty for Argentina in their World Cup triumph over France.
Raquel Hermida, the lawyer of the accuser, has quashed reports the investigation into the alleged crime had been shelved.
After alleging “irregularities” in the case, Hermida demanded psychiatric evaluations take place on Montiel and Acosta.
In April, Hermida also shared a video of the alleged victim talking about the incident while her face was partially covered by sunglasses.
She said: “I am Carolina, a model and hostess and survivor of group sex abuse in which the principal author was Gonzalo Montiel, who scored the last goal in the World Cup.”
She then went on to add: “It was his birthday and he invited me to his home. We were getting to know each other.
“They drugged me until I was unconscious. That was proven during the investigation, that and my screaming during the party.
“Gonzalo raped me. I spent a long time looking for lawyers. All of them wanted to negotiate. None wanted to go to trial.
“I give thanks to the foundation which provided me with psychologists and psychiatrists and my lawyer Raquel.”
Forest signed Montiel on loan from Sevilla with the knowledge he was being investigated for rape.
The Premier League side told The Athletic: ”The club has conducted due diligence and we are fully satisfied following conversations with his representatives.”
The woman that has made the allegations initially could not name or describe the men that committed the alleged rape after the complaint was filed.
But after psychological therapy, she conducted some anonymous TV appearances insisting she could now remember more details about the perpetrators.
Montiel’s voluntary statement denying any wrongdoing was conducted under oath.
No indictments have yet been submitted by the prosecution, while it also remains unconfirmed whether the case will go to trial.