Two Former Employees Who Accused Julio Iglesias to Testify Before Spanish Prosecutors

Julio Iglesias speaks after receiving awards for being the artist with the highest record sales in Spain and the top-selling Latin artist in the world, on December 16, 2011, at the Instituto Cervantes headquarters in Madrid (Javier Soriano) AFP

The two former employees of Julio Iglesias who accused the Spanish singer of human trafficking and sexual crimes will be heard by Spanish prosecutors at a date yet to be determined, the associations supporting their complaint announced this Wednesday.

The scandal broke the day before, when the US network Univisión and the Spanish outlet elDiario.es published an investigation detailing accusations from a former domestic worker and a former physiotherapist of the singer, the Latin artist with the highest record sales in the world.

Both women reported being subjected to sexual assault and harassment, which in one woman's case included non-consensual penetration.

In a press conference this Tuesday, Jovana Ríos Cisnero, from Women's Link, the organization representing the two women, explained that Spanish prosecutors "have decided to take statements from the complainants," which constitutes "a very important step in the search for justice."

Furthermore, Ríos Cisnero stated that her organization "has been contacted by other women who claim to have been workers of the accused."

The organization clarified that the alleged facts were reported in Spain, and not in the countries where they supposedly occurred, because Spanish legislation "can be an interesting option to give these women access to justice," said Gema Fernández.

Fernández specified that prosecutors have six months, extendable by another six, to decide whether to dismiss the case or proceed.

In a statement issued in the morning, Amnesty International and Women's Link detailed that "Laura and Rebeca [fictitious names of the victims] allegedly experienced multiple and distinct forms of violence—sexual, psychological, physical, and economic—by Julio Iglesias, between January and October 2021."

"On January 5, facts were brought to the attention of the [Spanish] Prosecutor's Office that 'could constitute a crime of human trafficking for the purpose of imposing forced labor and servitude,' 'crimes against sexual freedom and indemnity such as sexual harassment,' as well as a crime of injury and crimes against workers' rights," they stated.

- "Terrifying" -

According to the testimony gathered by the two organizations, Iglesias "allegedly sexually assaulted and harassed them, regularly checked their cell phones, forbade them from leaving the house where they worked, and demanded workdays of up to 16 hours a day, without rest days and without a contract."

Julio Iglesias, 82, did not respond to requests for comment from Univision and elDiario.es, both outlets indicated. He also did not respond to AFP, which attempted to contact him on Tuesday.

Very famous in Spain, where he holds, among others, the Gold Medal for Merit in the Fine Arts, the revelation of the accusations against Iglesias provoked a wave of political reactions.

"The investigation we are learning about these days is terrifying, it's panic-inducing," assessed the Minister of Labor, Yolanda Díaz, on Spanish Television on Wednesday, where she expressed her "absolute condemnation" of the facts and "immediate support" for the complainants.

The leader of the Popular Party, the main right-wing opposition group, stated for his part that he was "very surprised" by the reports.

Alberto Núñez Feijóo had stated that he spoke with Iglesias, known for his conservative sympathies, every month, in a 2024 interview with the Spanish edition of Vanity Fair.

"It is necessary for that investigation in the Prosecutor's Office of the Audiencia Nacional to be carried out and for them to tell us exactly what there is, if there is anything," he indicated, however, this Wednesday during an interview on Telecinco, where he described the accusations as "very serious."

The singer's former manager, Fernán Martínez, described, for his part, a man who was "very kissy," "very physical," although he assured that he "never" saw him exhibit "this kind of aggressive behavior," as alleged.

Born in 1943, Julio Iglesias became famous by performing songs like "Soy un truhán, soy un señor," "Gwendolyne," or "Me olvidé de vivir," as well as for his turbulent personal life. Internationally famous, especially in Spain and Latin America before a successful period in Miami, Iglesias saw his career take off in the 1970s.

With eight acknowledged children, Iglesias is the father of the also successful singer Enrique Iglesias.