Spain’s most famous veteran singer Julio Iglesias has asked judicial authorities to throw out a complaint brought by two former employees accusing him of sexual misconduct, arguing that Spanish courts have no jurisdiction over the case, according to legal filings submitted on Monday by his lawyer.
The two women — a domestic worker and a physiotherapist — claim they were subjected to sexual and other forms of abuse while employed at properties owned by Iglesias in the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas in 2021. ALSO READ: Julio Iglesias faces sexual assault allegations from former live-in staff at Caribbean homes.
In a criminal complaint lodged in Spain earlier this month, they allege that Iglesias engaged in sexual harassment, routinely monitored their mobile phones and limited their freedom to leave the residences where they worked. ALSO READ: Julio Iglesias says abuse allegations are ‘absolutely false’ and ‘deeply sadden’ him.
Iglesias’s lawyer, José Antonio Choclán, told Spain’s highest criminal court, the Audiencia Nacional, that any alleged offences should be pursued in the countries where they are said to have taken place.
He urged prosecutors to ‘immediately close’ the preliminary inquiry and to ‘end the media campaign causing serious harm’ to the 82-year-old singer’s reputation.
‘The Spanish prosecutor cannot unilaterally assume the role of a universal prosecutor, nor can Spanish courts, and it is also not permissible for the victim to choose the jurisdiction that is most convenient for them,’ Choclán wrote.
Women’s Link Worldwide, which is supporting the complainants, said the case was filed in Spain because of the country’s robust laws on gender-based violence and because Iglesias holds Spanish nationality.
Iglesias, one of the most successful Latin music artists in history, is a Grammy winner who has sold more than 300 million records during a career spanning several decades.
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