Spanish vocalist Julio Iglesias has responded to allegations of sexual assault and trafficking made by two women who formerly worked for him.
According to The Guardian, the allegations surfaced on Spanish news outlets Univision Noticias and elDiario, where the two former employees that they were inappropriately touched and humiliated by Iglesias, 82. In 2021, the women worked for Iglesias, who's the father of Spanish pop vocalist Enrique Iglesias.
The pair are reportedly a domestic worker and a physical therapist who worked at Iglesias' estates in the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas. The women, who gave testimonies along with thirteen of Iglesias former employees, claim that to they were subjected to "inappropriate touching, insults and humiliation … in an atmosphere of control and constant harassment."
One of the women, who referred to herself as Rebeca to protect her identity, alleged that when the musician was 77 years old, he would call her into his room at the end of her shift and penetrate her anally and vaginally with his fingers without consent.
"He used me almost every night. I felt like an object, like a slave," the woman claimed.
The second woman, who referred to herself under the pseudonym Laura, said Iglesias once kissed her and groped her breasts at a beach, with a similar incident happening at the singer's Punta Cana villa. The woman also claimed that they were hired through a recruitment system that targeted young women, and were unexpectedly asked about their bodies and sexuality during interviews with Iglesias.
In response to the claims, in a new Instagram post, Iglesias denied "having abused, coerced or disrespected any woman," as translated from Spanish to English.
"These accusations are completely false and cause me great sadness," he wrote.
Iglesias added, "I have never felt such malice, but I still have the strength to let people know the whole truth and defend my dignity against such a serious accusation."
A complaint was issued on the former employees' behalf by Women’s Link Worldwide, who said the women were "in vulnerable situations [and] were heavily dependent on their wages due to their economic and social conditions."
