Spanish music legend Julio Iglesias is facing a judicial investigation in Spain following serious allegations of sexual assault made by two former employees.

The women, who worked at Iglesias’s private residences in the Caribbean, allege that they were sexually abused while employed by the singer in 2021. Their claims were revealed in a joint investigation by Spanish outlet elDiario.es and U.S.-based media organisation Univision.

According to the reports, the alleged incidents took place at Iglesias’s properties in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, and Lyford Cay in the Bahamas. Spain’s national court is now examining the case, as it has jurisdiction over crimes allegedly committed abroad by Spanish citizens.

Julio Iglesias, now 82, is one of Spain’s most celebrated artists, with a career spanning more than six decades and millions of records sold worldwide.

Accounts from the Accusers

One of the women, identified as Rebeca to protect her identity, worked as a domestic employee at one of the properties. She told investigators that Iglesias frequently summoned her to his bedroom at night and touched her without her consent.

“He used me almost every night,” she said. “I felt like an object, like a slave.”

Rebeca, who was 22 years old at the time and is Dominican, also claimed that she was forced into sexual encounters involving another female staff member. She further alleged that the singer slapped her and grabbed her genitals during these encounters.

The second woman, referred to as Laura, is a Venezuelan physical therapist who said Iglesias touched her breasts and kissed her against her will. She described a working environment filled with intimidation, alleging that Iglesias threatened to fire her, monitored her food intake, and made intrusive comments about her body and menstrual cycle.

“He constantly told me I was fat and needed to lose weight,” Laura said, describing what she called a culture of “normalised abuse.”

While she said she often resisted his advances, Laura claimed other women felt unable to refuse. “There were girls who couldn’t say no,” she said. “And he did what he wanted with them.”

Evidence and Legal Action

The joint investigation by elDiario.es and Univision reportedly spans three years and includes documentary evidence such as photographs, phone logs, text messages, and medical records. Other former employees also described a tense and threatening atmosphere while working for the singer.

On 5 January, both women filed a formal complaint against Iglesias, accusing him of sexual assault and human trafficking.

Iglesias and his legal team did not respond to multiple requests for comment before the reports were published. However, a woman described as a manager at one of his Caribbean properties dismissed the allegations as “nonsense.”

The BBC has also attempted to contact Iglesias’s representatives but has yet to receive a response.

Mixed Reactions in Spain

The allegations have sparked intense public debate in Spain. Some long-time associates of Iglesias have publicly defended him. Journalist Miguel Ángel Pastor said he had never heard any suggestion that the singer was capable of such actions, while royal commentator Jaime Peñafiel called the accusations “absolute lies.”

Others, however, have urged authorities to pursue the case thoroughly. Spain’s equality minister, Ana Redondo, stressed that consent is non-negotiable. “When there is no consent, there is assault,” she wrote on social media.

Podemos leader Ione Belarra also weighed in, calling for an end to what she described as the long-standing silence surrounding sexual abuse allegations against powerful public figures.

Meanwhile, Madrid regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso publicly defended Iglesias, stating that the region would not participate in what she described as an attempt to tarnish the reputation of “the most universal of Spanish singers.”

Biography to Be Updated

Iglesias’s biographer, Ignacio Peyró, and his publisher, Libros del Asteroide, confirmed that the singer’s recent biography will be updated to include the allegations. In a statement, they also expressed their “support and solidarity with the victims.”

As the investigation continues, the case adds to a growing national conversation in Spain about accountability, power, and sexual abuse — especially when allegations involve influential and celebrated figures.