Julio Iglesias accused of sexual assault by former employees
Spanish singer Julio Iglesias has been accused of sexual assault by two former female employees.
As per The Guardian, the employees alleged that they were subjected to “inappropriate touching, insults and humiliation … in an atmosphere of control and constant harassment.”
The women were reportedly employed at Iglesias’ Caribbean mansions in the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas. One is a domestic worker, and the other works as a physical therapist.
This news comes three years after Spanish news site El Diario and the Spanish-language TV network Univision Noticias undertook a three-year joint investigation into the star.
Over that time, they collected testimonies from 15 former employees who worked for the 82-year-old singer, between the late 1990s and as recent as 2023.
On January 13th, the written report from the investigation allegedly exposed the “women’s conditions of isolation, labour disputes, the hierarchical structure of the staff, and the tense atmosphere created by Iglesias’s short-tempered character.”
According to the document, the experiences of the two females who reported sexual assault “are supported by extensive documentary evidence, such as photographs, call logs, WhatsApp messages, visas, medical reports and other documents.”
One of the women, who has opted to use the name Rebecca, shared that she would be called to his room at the end of her shift, where Iglesias would penetrate her anally and vaginally with his fingers without her consent.
Speaking about the alleged repeated incidents, which also allegedly took place in front of another Iglesias employee who was her superior, Rebecca shared, “He used me almost every night. I felt like an object, like a slave.”
The other woman, speaking under the name Laura, shared her experience: “We were at the beach, and he came up to me and touched my nipples,” as well as kissing her on the mouth.”
She added, “That house should be called the little house of terror because it is a nightmare – something truly horrible.”
The two women have filed a formal complaint with prosecutors at Spain’s highest criminal court, the Audiencia Nacional. As per their testimonies, they have accused him of human trafficking and sexual assault.
Iglesias has not responded to the allegations.
For help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.
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