Singer Julio Iglesias denied allegations of sexual assault made by two female former employees.
The women say the 82-year-old Spanish superstar “normalized abuse” in a coercive, threatening and violent environment while they worked at his properties in the Bahamas and the Dominican Republic.
Responding to InstagramIglesias said: “I deny having abused, coerced, or disrespected any woman. These accusations are completely false and make me very sad.”
The allegations, which were first reported earlier this week, are being investigated by the Spanish judiciary.
The two women – a domestic worker and a physiotherapist – saying they suffered sexual and other forms of abuse while working on Iglesias’ properties.
Reports say they worked at his Caribbean residence for 10 months in 2021, which is when they say the sexual assaults took place.
On January 5, the women filed a legal complaint for sexual assault and human trafficking in the national court, which investigates crimes allegedly committed beyond Spain’s borders.
Advocacy groups Women’s Link Worldwide and Amnesty International said the acts alleged in the complaint could be considered “a crime of human trafficking for the purpose of forced labor” and “crimes against sexual freedom”.
According to the testimony collected by the two groups, Iglesias subjected the women to “sexual harassment, constantly checked their cellphones, restricted their ability to leave the house where they worked, and asked them to work up to 16 hours a day without days off”.
Women’s Link describes the complainants as young women in Latin America “in vulnerable situations who are highly dependent on their wages due to their economic and social situation”.
In his Instagram statement, Iglesias wrote: “It is with deep sadness that I respond to the accusations made by two people who used to work for me.
He added: “I have never felt such malice, but I still have the strength to tell people the whole truth and defend my dignity against such a serious accusation.”
The singer also thanked the “many dear people who sent me messages of love and loyalty”, adding: “I find great comfort in them.”
According to Spanish news site elDiario.es and US outlet Univision, which investigated the claims for three years, the women’s allegations were backed up by documentary evidence including photos, phone records, text messages and medical reports.
Their reports cite other former employees who describe a threatening, extremely stressful situation for those working for Iglesias.
But an old friend of the singer, Jaime Peñafiel, labeled the accusations “completely false”, while another ally, journalist Miguel Ángel Pastor, said he had never heard “any suggestion that he could do this kind of act”.
Iglesias is one of the most successful Latin artists of all time, having sold more than 300 million records in a career spanning decades.
He is also the father of fellow music superstar Enrique Iglesias.