The fall of an idol? The most famous Spanish singer was accused of sexual abuse

One of the most famous Spanish singers, 82-year-old Julio Iglesias, was accused of sexual assault by two women who worked at his villas in the Dominican Republic and at The Bahamas. This is reported by the portal El Diario, which for three years conducted its own investigation in conjunction with the publication Univision News.

We are talking about working at the villas of the legendary artist in 2021. One of the victims at that time was 22 years old. One of the women was hired as a housekeeper, the second was a physiotherapist.

Both women told of constant insults from Iglesias, slaps in the face, physical humiliation, psychological pressure and sexual abuse, including finger penetration. Often sexual abuse took place in front of other employees of the villas or with their participation. They also note the atmosphere of total control, the ban on leaving the star's residences and the ban on personal life.

At the same time, for the first three months, women worked without an employment contract, the working day lasted 10-16 hours, work duties were blurred and even included bathing together with the boss. One of Iglesias' former employees underwent long-term psychotherapy after her dismissal due to depression and anxiety.

Journalists managed to collect documents about the woman's employment, correspondence with other employees of the star, visas to the Bahamas, medical certificates, photos, messages in instant messengers confirming communication with the employer. In addition, the publications interviewed 15 former employees of Iglesias villas.

Now both women have sent complaints to the Prosecutor's Office of the National Justice of Spain, accusing Iglesias of sexual violence and human trafficking. The official investigation has already begun. Human rights and public organizations demand a full and thorough investigation of the case, and the Spanish media are full of headlines about the "fall of the idol."

Julio Iglesias is one of the most famous Spanish singers and is considered the most commercially successful Spanish-speaking performer. In 1968, Iglesias won the "Benidorm International Song Contest" with the composition La Vida Sigue Igual (Life goes on), after which he signed a contract with the Spanish branch of the Columbia Records label. During his career, he has released about 60 studio albums, the last of which was released in 2015. He has sold more than 300 million of his records worldwide. He has received numerous awards: Grammy, Billboard, World Music Awards. In 2009, he received the coat of arms of Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic), which emphasizes his status as a significant figure and recognition for his contribution to musical culture.

In Spain, he is perceived as the "pride of the nation" because his work combines popular songs in Spanish and international success.