Singer Julio Iglesias Faces Spanish Inquiry Amidst Sexual Assault Allegations

Music Icon Julio Iglesias Under Judicial Scrutiny for Sexual Assault Claims

Spanish music legend Julio Iglesias is now the subject of a judicial investigation in Spain after two women, formerly employed by him, came forward with serious allegations of sexual assault. These women claim Iglesias “normalised abuse” within a coercive, threatening, and violent work environment, according to reports by Spanish news site elDiario.es and U.S. outlet Univision.

The accusations are currently being examined by Spain’s judiciary. The alleged incidents took place in 2021 at Iglesias’s properties in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, and Lyford Cay, Bahamas, where the two women were employed.

Disturbing Testimonies: “Rebeca” and “Laura” Speak Out

One of the accusers, a domestic worker identified as “Rebeca” in the reports, recounted a pattern of non-consensual touching. She stated that Iglesias would frequently summon her to his room at the close of the day, engaging in inappropriate physical contact. “He used me almost every night,” she revealed, expressing feelings of being “an object, like a slave.” Rebeca, a Dominican woman who was 22 at the time of the alleged events, also detailed forced participation in threesomes with another female staff member, along with instances of being slapped and grabbed.

“Laura,” a Venezuelan physical therapist, presented similar claims. She alleged that Iglesias touched her breasts and kissed her without her consent. Laura further described a constant barrage of threats of dismissal, strict control over her food intake, and intrusive questions about her menstrual cycle. “He always said I was fat and had to lose weight,” she recalled, highlighting a workplace culture where “normalised abuse” was prevalent. Despite her frequent rejections of his advances, Laura observed that “there were girls who couldn’t say no. And he did what he wanted with them.”

Legal Action and Evidentiary Support

The women, Rebeca and Laura, filed a formal legal complaint against the 82-year-old artist for sexual assault and human trafficking on January 5th. This complaint was submitted before the national court, which has jurisdiction over crimes allegedly committed outside Spain’s borders.

elDiario.es and Univision, who collaboratively investigated the case over three years, assert that these allegations are substantiated by a range of documentary evidence. This includes photographs, phone records, text messages, and medical reports. Furthermore, their reports cite other former Iglesias employees who describe a consistently “threatening, highly stressful atmosphere” during their employment.

Reactions: Denials, Support, and Calls for Justice

Julio Iglesias, a globally renowned figure since the 1960s with millions of records sold, and his legal team reportedly did not respond to repeated requests for comment prior to the allegations’ publication. A manager at one of his Caribbean properties dismissed the claims as “nonsense.” Efforts by the BBC to contact Iglesias’s representatives also went unanswered.

Allies of the singer have publicly defended him. Long-time friend Jaime Peñafiel labeled the accusations “absolute lies,” while journalist Miguel Ángel Pastor stated he had never heard “any suggestion that he might have committed this kind of act.”

Conversely, the equality minister in Spain’s Socialist-led government, Ana Redondo, expressed her hope for a thorough investigation, declaring on social media, “When there is no consent there is assault.” Ione Belarra, leader of the far-left Podemos party, called for an end to the “silence” surrounding sexual assault cases involving “famous assailants who are protected by their money.”

The president of the Madrid region, conservative Isabel Díaz Ayuso, publicly supported Iglesias, stating, “The Madrid region will never contribute to the vilifying of artists and even less so to that of the most universal of all singers: Julio Iglesias.” Ignacio Peyró, Iglesias’s biographer, and his publisher have committed to updating last year’s biography to incorporate the allegations, while simultaneously expressing “support and solidarity for the victims.”

Wider Context: Spain’s Reckoning with Abuse Claims

This case emerges amidst a broader conversation in Spain regarding allegations of sexual abuse against prominent figures. Last month, a legal complaint was filed against former prime minister Adolfo Suárez, revered for his role in Spain’s transition to democracy, alleging sexual abuse from when the accuser was 17. Suárez passed away in 2014, and police are investigating, although a magistrate, Jesús Villegas, has expressed skepticism about the case’s progression, suggesting it might be politically motivated.

As the legal process unfolds, the allegations against the iconicsinger Julio Iglesias face Spanish inquiry into sexual assault allegations, bringing a global spotlight onto the details of the claims and the responses from various sectors.