Ricky Martin will appear in court to testify against his nephew who claimed the two had a sexual relationship.
Sources with direct knowledge of the allegation say Martin will appear via Zoom before a judge in Puerto Rico on Thursday, according to TMZ.
The news comes after Martin denied the accusations that he and his 21-year-old nephew had a “romantic or sexual relationship” for seven months.
“Unfortunately, the person who made this claim is struggling with deep mental health challenges,” Martin’s attorney Marty Singer previously told The Post. “Ricky Martin has, of course, never been — and would never be — involved in any kind of sexual or romantic relationship with his nephew.”
In fact, Singer went on to call the claims “disgusting” and “untrue.”
“The idea is not only untrue, it is disgusting. We all hope that this man gets the help he so urgently needs,” he said. “But, most of all, we look forward to this awful case being dismissed as soon as a judge gets to look at the facts.”
Approximately two weeks ago, a judge in Puerto Rico issued a “domestic-violence related” restraining order against the Latin pop singer
“The petitioner fears for his safety,” El Vocero, a Puerto Rico newspaper, quoted the order as saying.
Martin later said the allegations were unfounded.
“The protection order entered against me is based on completely false allegations, so I will respond through the judicial process with the facts and dignity that characterize me,” the 50-year-old star posted to Twitter at the time. “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.”
The order bars the “Livin’ La Vida Loca” singer from contacting or calling the person who filed it, police said.
While the alleged victim’s name was anonymous, Martin’s brother, Eric, claimed it was Dennis Yadiel Sanchez, also claiming that the Grammy winner “exercised physical and psychological attacks” on Sanchez.
If the claims are proven to be true, Martin could face five decades in prison under Puerto Rico’s laws for “incest charges.” According to Marca, the Spanish publication that originally broke the story, the complaint against Martin was reported anonymously under Law 54, or the Domestic Abuse Prevention and Intervention Act.
According to El Vocero, a Puerto Rican newspaper, Martin and the victim dated for seven months, and the relationship ending poorly. The publication reported Martin allegedly didn’t take the heartbreak well and reportedly loitered near the victim’s home.
The legal proceedings, which start Thursday, come after Martin was hit with a $3 million lawsuit from a former manager. Rebecca Drucker is suing Martin, who married Spanish-born artist Jwan Yosef in 2017, for unpaid commissions. Her suit also referenced a “potentially career-ending allegation” in September 2020, although Martin reportedly “emerged unscathed and proceeded with his professional resurgence.”
Drucker — who worked with Martin from 2014 to 2018 and then again from 2020 to 2022 — is suing the Latin music icon, 50, for unpaid commissions, according to legal docs, filed Wednesday in Los Angeles Central District Court, that mention a “potentially career-ending allegation.”
Drucker noted that she worked with him on two separate occasions due to his “personal and professional life [being] in absolute turmoil” and reportedly helped Martin navigate the world of “recording contracts, touring and sponsorship deals, and other professional endeavors.”
“Rebecca Drucker saved Ricky Martin’s career,” the 15-page suit, seen by The Post, alleged. “There is just one problem: Martin completely and maliciously refused to pay Rebecca the millions of dollars in commissions that he owes her under their management agreement.”
“With Rebecca at his side, Martin made millions of dollars and therefore owes Rebecca substantial commissions,” the complaint added.
