Spanish prosecutor drops sexual assault charges against Julio Iglesias

Spanish prosecutors have dropped an investigation into sexual abuse complaints against singer Julio Iglesias.

They ruled that the Spanish courts had no jurisdiction and therefore no authority to investigate crimes committed abroad, involving complainants who were not Spanish citizens or residents and had never traveled to Spain with the star.

Two female former employees claim that in 2021 they were subjected to an environment of coercion, threats and violence that “normalized abuse” while they worked at the 82-year-old Spanish superstar’s properties in the Bahamas and Dominican Republic.

Iglesias has strenuously denied the accusations, which were first reported last week.

On January 5, the women filed a legal complaint of sexual assault and human trafficking with the National Court, which investigates crimes allegedly committed outside Spain.

Advocacy groups Global Women’s Connection and Amnesty International said the conduct alleged in the complaint could be considered “the crime of human trafficking for the purpose of forced labor” and “a crime against sexual freedom.”

Women’s Link Worldwide described the complainants as young Latin American women “who are in a vulnerable position and heavily dependent on wages due to their economic and social conditions”.

It said the complaint was filed in Spain because the country has legislation protecting women from gender-based violence and trafficking.

But prosecutors said the complainant was not a Spanish citizen or resident, meaning the legal principle of universal jurisdiction could not apply.

They also argue that the countries where the alleged crimes occurred – the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas – have “clear and effective capabilities” to investigate the allegations themselves.

Iglesias responds to the accusations Post on Instagram (Spanish)“, in which he said: “I deny abusing, coercing or disrespecting any woman. These accusations are absolutely false and deeply saddening to me.

Several of the singer’s friends also vehemently denied that he was capable of such behavior.

Iglesias is one of the most successful Latin artists of all time, selling more than 300 million records during his decades-long career.

He is also the father of music superstar Enrique Iglesias.