The Grammy winner is now being investigated by prosecutors in Spain.

Julio Iglesias accused of sexual and physical assault by 2 former employees

The Grammy winner is now being investigated by prosecutors in Spain.

By Shania Russell

Shania Russell

Shania Russell is a news writer at *, *with five years of experience. Her work has previously appeared in SlashFilm and Paste Magazine.

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January 14, 2026 4:03 p.m. ET

Julio Iglesias is honored with a star on the Puerto Rico Walk of Fame on Sept. 29, 2016. Credit:

GV Cruz/WireImage

Grammy-winning Spanish singer Julio Iglesias has been accused of sexual and physical assault by two women who worked as live-in employees at his Caribbean mansions.

On Tuesday, Jan. 13, elDiario.es and Univision Noticias published a joint investigation detailing the allegations from two anonymous former employees. One, a domestic worker, claims she was pressured into having sex with the singer and described alleged acts of slapping, physical, and verbal abuse. The second woman, a physiotherapist, claims she was subject to inappropriate touching, insults and humiliation during her time under his employment.

A formal complaint against Iglesias, 82, was filed at Spain’s highest criminal court, the Audiencia Nacional, on Jan. 5, accusing him of sexual assault and human trafficking, according to reports from multiple outlets, including the Associated Press, Reuters and *The New York Times*. The allegations are the subject of a preliminary investigation by prosecutors at the court.

Julio Iglesias performs on Dec. 6, 2019 in Duluth, Georgia.

Paras Griffin/Getty

In the testimony published by elDiario.es, Iglesias' former employees allege that they were required to have medical tests checking them for sexually transmitted diseases, such as HIV and chlamydia. They additionally claim to have faced sexual assault, workplace harassment in addition to verbal and physical abuse from Iglesias during their time working at his residences in the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas.

A representative for Iglesias did not immediately respond to **'s request for comment, nor did entertainment lawyer Russell L. King, who lists Iglesias as a client on his website.

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In a Tuesday press release, nongovernmental group Women’s Link Worldwide announced that it would be representing the two women, who both shared statements under the pseudonyms Rebeca and Laura.

"I am doing this to get justice for three reasons. The first is for myself: for how difficult this process has been and for everything I have had to face in order to overcome it," Rebeca said. "The second is for the women who work in his homes: I want to tell them to be strong, to raise their voices, to remember that he is not invincible. And the third, for my country [the Dominican Republic]: so that something like this never happens again and so that he understands that he cannot come and do whatever he wants without facing the consequences."

In her own statement, Laura stated, "My goal is to ensure that no woman ever suffers this kind of abuse from him again. I want to send the message that women are victims and survivors, not perpetrators or guilty parties.”

Julio Iglesias poses for a portrait in 1983.

Harry Langdon/Getty

Iglesias, one of the best-selling music artists of all time, is widely considered the most commercially successful Spanish singer in the world. He has sold over 300 million records around the world, won two Grammy Awards and been inducted into the Latin Songwriters Hall of Fame. He is also the father of singers Enrique Iglesias and Julio Iglesias Jr.

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Following the public allegations against Iglesias, Spain’s Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun stated that the government will consider stripping Iglesias of his Gold Medal of Merit in the Fine Arts, which he was awarded in 2010.

“It is something we are studying and evaluating," Urtasun said. "Because evidently we feel obliged to do so when faced by such a serious case."

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