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Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea has been named in an investigation into a sexual assault by a protected witness, who alleged he helped to arrange an encounter between two Spain under-21 players, her and another woman in a Madrid hotel in 2012, according to multiple reports. In testimony quoted on Friday by Eldiario.es, the witness, who is under police protection, said that in 2012 she was threatened and coerced into having sexual relations with Athletic Bilbao's Iker Muniain and another under-21 football player whose identity she could not confirm. Spanish media, citing police sources, reported that De Gea has not broken the law. De Gea, who is in France preparing to play in the European Championship with the Spanish national team, denied the allegations, calling them "serious and false." Muniain's agent denied having any knowledge about the case The witness testimony is part of the case against jailed pornography impresario Ignacio Allende Fernandez, known as "Torbe," who was arrested in April and is accused of child pornography, sexual exploitation, sexual aggression, human trafficking for pornography, extortion, blackmail and tax fraud. In total, 10 people are reportedly set to face charges, with the judge hearing the case in a Madrid court expected to call witnesses next week. The Eldiario.es report includes copies of statements from two protected witnesses, at least one of whom is a minor. El Pais, citing police sources, said a police report links De Gea, Munain and a third player to the testimony. El Confidencial, also citing police sources, said she initially named the third player as Real Madrid's Isco, who at the time played for Malaga, but later said she may have been mistaken about his identity. In her testimony, the protected witness, known to the police as TP3, said that she was taken to a five-star Madrid hotel by Fernandez and forced into an encounter with two football players against her will. Eldiario.es cites police reports that say Fernandez ordered her to "do whatever the football players wanted" and told her she would be well paid. When she refused, Fernandez reportedly grabbed her by the arm and told her she and the other woman would do as he said. According to the Eldiario.es account of the police report: "The witness known as TP3 as well as the other woman were sexually abused and when they refused they were also hit. Following the sexual encounter they were threatened to remain silent about what happened in the hotel room. Neither TP3 nor the other woman were paid for the encounter." The witness later identified one of the two football players as Muniain, and that De Gea set up the hotel room meeting with help from Fernandez. The reports said Spanish police investigating the case said the witness' statement was "highly credible." The allegations come on the first day of Euro 2016 in France. Spain are due to play their first game against Czech Republic on Monday and De Gea is with the national team training in Ile de Re, an island off the west coast of France near La Rochelle. De Gea, Muniain and Isco played together in the UEFA Under-21 Championship in 2013, with Spain winning the tournament held in Israel.
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