Legendary Spanish singer Julio Iglesias is confronting serious legal and public allegations after two former employees accused him of sexual assault and fostering a threatening work environment at his Caribbean estates. The claims, which include reports of inappropriate touching and forced sexual acts, stem from a three-year investigative report published by Spanish media outlets.
Allegations of a Coercive Environment
The accusations were made public following a joint investigation by the Spanish news site elDiario.es and the television network Univision Noticias. The report is based on testimonies from 15 former employees who worked for the international music icon between the late 1990s and 2023.
The two primary accusers, who worked as live-in staff at Iglesias's mansions in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, and Lyford Cay, Bahamas in 2021, described a pattern of "normalized abuse." They allege the singer, now 82, created a coercive, violent, and threatening atmosphere.
Detailed Accounts from the Accusers
One woman, identified in reports under the pseudonym Rebeca, was a 22-year-old domestic worker from the Dominican Republic. She claims Iglesias would routinely summon her to his room at night and touch her inappropriately without consent. "He used me almost every night," she stated. "I felt like an object, like a slave." Her allegations extend to being slapped, having her genitals grabbed, and being compelled into threesomes with another female employee.
The second accuser, a Venezuelan physical therapist called Laura in the report, alleges Iglesias touched her breasts and kissed her against her will. She also claims he controlled her food intake, frequently criticized her weight, and threatened her with termination. Laura noted that while she often rejected his advances, "there were girls who couldn’t say no. And he did what he wanted with them."
The Spanish media outlets report that evidence including photos, phone records, text messages, and medical reports supports the allegations.
Legal Action and Official Response
On January 5, 2026, Rebeca and Laura filed a formal legal complaint against Julio Iglesias for sexual assault and human trafficking. The case was brought before Spain's national court, which holds jurisdiction over crimes allegedly committed outside the country's borders.
The singer and his legal team did not respond to repeated requests for comment from the investigating outlets prior to publication. However, a manager of one of his Caribbean properties dismissed the claims as "nonsense," and an old friend of Iglesias, Jaime Penafiel, labeled them "absolute lies."
In contrast, Ana Redondo, Spain's equality minister, expressed hope the case would be thoroughly investigated, emphasizing: "When there is no consent there is assault." Additionally, the publisher of a recent biography on Iglesias has pledged to update the book to include the allegations, stating their "support and solidarity for the victims."
The allegations cast a long shadow over the six-decade career of Julio Iglesias, a father of singer Enrique Iglesias, who has sold hundreds of millions of records worldwide. Spain's judiciary is now tasked with investigating the serious claims made by his former staff.
