Julio Iglesias accused of Sexual Assault!
Madrid, Jan 13 (EFE).-
An investigation by elDiario.es and Univision Noticias revealed on Tuesday that two former employees are accusing the Spanish singer Julio Iglesias of sexual assault.
“You have to call that house the ‘little house of terror’ because of the drama; it’s a horrible place,” a former worker described the mansion in Punta Cana.
After three years of journalistic investigation and speaking with 15 people who worked in the singer’s homes in the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas, and Spain between the late 90s and 2023, the Spanish digital outlet and the American channel explained how these two women reported being assaulted by Julio Iglesias in 2021, who is now 82 years old.
According to the victims’ accounts, the events, which include episodes of harassment, assault, and sexual violence, took place in Julio Iglesias’ residences in Punta Cana (Dominican Republic) and Lyford Cay (Bahamas) with the knowledge of the women in charge of household management and personnel hiring.
The article, signed by nine journalists from the two media outlets, stated that Iglesias has not responded to any attempts to contact him or his legal representatives. The EFE Agency tried to obtain a statement from Iglesias’s representatives, but it has not been possible.
Complaints before justice
The women have filed complaints against Iglesias with the Prosecutor’s Office of the Audiencia Nacional, which has initiated preliminary proceedings. These proceedings are still in the initial stages and are being kept secret while the complaint is analyzed, according to fiscal sources who informed EFE.
According to the complaint filed on Jan. 5 and obtained by elDiario.es, these facts refer to events that occurred in 2021 that could constitute human trafficking for forced labor and servitude.
The complaint also mentioned various crimes against sexual freedom, such as sexual harassment and assault, as well as injuries and crimes against workers’ rights due to abusive working conditions.
According to Spanish legislation, Spanish courts have jurisdiction to investigate crimes committed outside of Spain if the perpetrators are Spanish nationals or foreigners who later acquired Spanish nationality.
This rule establishes the competence of the Audiencia Nacional for “crimes committed outside the national territory when, in accordance with laws or treaties, their prosecution corresponds to the Spanish courts.”
After the complaints became public, the government called for a thorough investigation so that “no space for impunity” remains.
“We are not going to look the other way,” said government spokeswoman and Minister of Inclusion, Social Security, and Migration Elma Saiz on Tuesday at the press conference after the Council of Ministers, confirming the veracity of information published that day by the Spanish digital newspaper eldiario.es and the US television network Univision Noticias.
The Spanish Minister of Equality, Ana Redondo, stressed on X that “in the face of machismo, you cannot look the other way because denial intensifies the problem” and expressed confidence that “it (the case) will be investigated.”
“Without questioning the presumption of innocence, the law in Spain protects victims. When there is no consent, it is assault,” Redondo insisted. Meanwhile, the government spokesperson noted that, although she has not read the information in depth, she has a lot of respect for the journalistic work. EFE
ime/dgp
