Julio Iglesias denies allegations of sexual assault against two former employees | Spain

Spanish singer Julio Iglesias has broken his silence over allegations that he sexually assaulted two women who worked at his mansions in the Caribbean, saying he did not “abuse, hate or disrespect any woman.”

The 82-year-old artist, whose career spans six decades, was accused by two former employees who claimed they were sexually assaulted and subjected to “inappropriate touching, insults and humiliation… in an atmosphere of constant control and harassment”.

The alleged assaults, said to have occurred in 2021, came to light on Tuesday after a three-year joint investigation by Spanish news site elDiario.es and Spanish-language television network Univision Noticias.

“It is with great regret that I respond to the allegations of two individuals who worked at my home,” Iglesias wrote in an Instagram post early Friday morning. “I have never abused, coerced or disrespected any woman. These accusations are completely false and hurt me deeply.”

The singer said he would “defend my dignity against this serious insult” and thanked “so many dear people for their messages of love and support.”

The two women – a domestic worker and a physiotherapist known by their aliases Rebecca and Laura – have filed a complaint against Iglesias in Spain’s highest criminal court, Audiencia Nacional, accusing him of sexual assault and human trafficking. These charges are subject to a preliminary investigation by the Public Prosecution in court.

Rebecca claimed that Iglesias, who was 77 at the time, would often invite her into his room at the end of the work day. She claimed that he would then penetrate her with his fingers in her anus and vagina without her consent. “He used me almost every night,” she said. “I felt like an object, like a slave.”

Laura claimed to elDiario.es and Univision Noticias that Iglesias kissed her on the mouth and touched her breasts without her permission and against her will. “We were on the beach and he came up to me and touched my nipples,” she said, adding that a similar incident occurred poolside at the singer’s villa in Punta Cana, a luxury resort in the Dominican Republic.

On Wednesday, ElDiario.es published testimony from Rebeca and another former worker, Carolina, in which they claimed they were required to undergo medical tests to check for sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV and chlamydia.

The women said they were then asked to send the results to one of Iglesias’ housekeepers. ElDiario.es also obtained medical documents that appear to show that five women working at Villa Iglesias in the Dominican Republic in 2021 underwent gynecological examinations.

In an interview with elDiario.es, Laura said that she and Rebeca decided to file a complaint against Iglesias to encourage other women to come forward. “I believe that by taking legal action we are sending a message to all the victims of this person – Julio Iglesias – so they can speak out and believe in justice,” she said. “So they can understand that this wasn’t something that just happened to them.”