Spanish music icon Julio Iglesias is confronting grave new allegations, as two women have formally accused the 82-year-old singer of sexual assault and human trafficking. The claims, which also include reports that female staff were compelled to undergo tests for sexually transmitted diseases, have been filed at Spain's highest criminal court.
Detailed Allegations from Former Employees
The accusations stem from a three-year investigation published this week by the Spanish outlet elDiario.es and Univision Noticias. The complainants, using the pseudonyms Rebeca and Laura, are a former domestic worker and physical therapist. They allege the incidents occurred in 2021 while they were employed at Iglesias's luxury properties in the Caribbean.
Rebeca claims she was subjected to non-consensual digital penetration by Iglesias, then 77, on a near-nightly basis. She described feeling "like an object, like a slave." Laura alleges the singer kissed her without consent and touched her breasts on two separate occasions at his Punta Cana villa and beach.
Mandatory Medical Examinations Revealed
In further disturbing testimony published on Wednesday, Rebeca and another former employee named Carolina stated that female staff were ordered to have gynaecological examinations. According to their accounts, between 10 and 12 women were required to be tested for diseases including HIV and chlamydia.
"They did everything to us there; the gynaecologist checked everything. It only happened to the girls," Rebeca stated. Carolina recalled undergoing ultrasounds and blood tests, commenting, "It didn't seem normal to me." The women said they were instructed to send their results to one of Iglesias's housekeepers.
elDiario.es says it has obtained medical documents indicating five women at the singer's Dominican Republic villa in 2021 underwent such examinations.
Legal and Political Fallout
The two women have submitted their complaint to the Audiencia Nacional, Spain's top criminal court, which has opened a preliminary investigation. In an interview, Laura expressed hope their legal action would empower other potential victims to come forward.
The scandal has ignited a political debate in Spain. Left-wing politicians have called for Iglesias to be stripped of official honours, including the Bellas Artes medal awarded by the culture ministry in 2010. Labour Minister Yolanda Díaz stated the government is reviewing the possibility, distinguishing between "criminal responsibility" and "ethical responsibility."
However, these calls have been rejected by Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the conservative president of the Madrid region, who defended the singer as "the most universal of all." Journalists involved in the report stated they made repeated attempts to contact Iglesias and his legal representative but received no response.
