Pop icon Ricky Martin faces allegations of domestic violence and incest, stemming from a romantic relationship he allegedly had with his nephew.
According to Yahoo! News, Martin’s nephew, Dennis Yadiel Sanchez, has obtained a restraining order against his uncle under a Puerto Rican statute known as Law 54, which relates to instances of domestic violence.
Marca, a Spanish newspaper, reports that Martin, 50, and Sanchez, 21, recently dated for seven months, during which time, Martin supposedly subjected Sanchez to physical and psychological abuse. Sanchez also claims that Martin had difficulty accepting their breakup, which reportedly occurred a couple of months ago, and continued to appear uninvited at Sanchez’s residence.
Sanchez made the request for a restraining order anonymously, but Martin’s brother, Eric Martin, made Sanchez’s identity public.
The fact that the two are related adds another significant layer to the accusations. According to Marca, the allegations of domestic violence coupled with charges of incest mean that Martin could face up to 50 years in prison, if convicted.
Meanwhile, Martin’s team has vehemently denied all the allegations.
“The allegations against Ricky Martin that lead to a protection order are completely false and fabricated,” representatives for Martin told People earlier this month. “We are very confident that when the true facts come out in this matter our client Ricky Martin will be fully vindicated.”
Martin has also responded to the charges himself, posting on Facebook on July 3: “The protection order entered against me is based on completely false allegations, so I will respond through the judicial process with the facts and the dignity that characterize me.
“Because it is an ongoing legal matter, I cannot make detailed statements at this time. I am grateful for the countless messages of solidarity, and I receive them with all my heart.”
A hearing has been scheduled for July 21.
Back in early 2018, Billboard reported that Ricky Martin had married Jwan Yosef, a Syrian-born painter who was living in London when he first began interacting with Martin on Instagram. They have four children together.
Martin, a former member of the ’80s Puerto Rican boy band Menudo, burst onto the mainstream American pop scene as a solo artist in the late ’90s with hits like “Livin’ La Vida Loca” and “She Bangs.” He also made appearances on “General Hospital” and in 2018 starred in the second season of “American Crime Series” on FX, entitled “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story.” He received an Emmy nomination for his role as Antonio D’Amico, Versace’s long-time partner.