Spanish prosecutors drop sexual assault complaint against Julio Iglesias

Court says alleged abuse and trafficking offences occurred outside Spain, leaving it without jurisdiction

Spanish prosecutors have shelved a complaint brought by two women who have accused the singer Julio Iglesias of sexual assault and human trafficking, arguing the country’s courts have no jurisdiction as the alleged offences took place outside Spain.

Two female former employees who worked at Iglesias’s Caribbean mansions 10 days ago accused the veteran entertainer of sexual assault, saying they had been subjected “to inappropriate touching, insults and humiliation … in an atmosphere of control and constant harassment”.

The allegations emerged at the end of a three-year joint investigation by the Spanish news site elDiario.es and the Spanish-language TV network Univision Noticias, which gathered testimony from 15 former employees who worked for the 82-year-old singer between the late 1990s and 2023.

The two complainants – a domestic worker and a physical therapist employed at mansions in the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas – filed their complaint with prosecutors at Spain’s highest criminal court, the Audiencia Nacional.

In a decision issued on Friday, prosecutors rejected the case, saying Spanish courts “lacked jurisdiction” because the alleged offences had not taken place in the country.

A filing seen by Reuters from the prosecutors said while the high court was unable to hear the case, prosecution could still be sought in the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas.

One of the women, referred to as Rebeca to protect her identity, said Iglesias, who was 77 at the time, would frequently call her to his room at the end of the working day.

She said he would then penetrate her anally and vaginally with his fingers without her consent. “He used me almost every night,” she told elDiario.es and Univision Noticias. “I felt like an object, like a slave.”

According to Rebeca, the assaults habitually took place in the presence – and with the participation – of another employee who was her superior.

Another woman, using the pseudonym Laura, said Iglesias kissed her on the mouth and touched her breasts without her consent.

Eldiario.es also published documents suggesting that Iglesias allegedly ordered some women who worked for him to undergo tests for sexually transmitted diseases.

The singer, whose career spans six decades, has denied all the allegations and said he would defend himself against what he described as “a serious affront”.

In a statement posted on Instagram a week ago, Iglesias wrote: “With great regret, I am responding to the allegations from two people who used to work in my house. I have never abused, coerced or disrespected any woman. These accusations are absolutely false and pain me deeply.”