Julio Iglesias denies sexual abuse claims as Spanish prosecutors announce probe

Julio Iglesias denied allegations that he sexually assaulted two former employees, issuing a statement after Spanish prosecutors said they would investigate the claims.

In a message posted to his social media, the 82-year-old singer called the accusations "absolutely false," denied "having abused, coerced, or been disrespectful to any woman," and said he would defend himself.

According to officials, the two former employees filed a complaint with a high court in Spain on Jan. 5. On the same day, elDiario.es and Univision Noticias published a three-year joint investigation detailing testimonies from 15 former employees spanning the late 1990s to 2023.

The investigation, which did not name the employees, described a climate of intimidation, abuse and harassment in which women were recruited for their looks and asked inappropriate questions about their sexual preferences and bodies. One person told the outlets in graphic detail that Mr. Iglesias "used me almost every night" and that she "felt like an object, like a slave."

Mr. Iglesias is a prominent figure in Spain and Latin America with a six-decade career and hundreds of millions of records sold; he is also the father of singer Enrique Iglesias. Spanish prosecutors said they would investigate the complaints, and Mr. Iglesias has said he will defend himself.

Key Topics

Culture, Julio Iglesias, Spain, Spanish Prosecutors, Sexual Assault, Sexual Harassment