Ricky Martin faces sexual assault complaint

By Danica Coto, Associated Press

A sexual assault complaint has been filed against Puerto Rico pop star Ricky Martin, who recently sued his nephew over what he said were false allegations of sexual abuse.

The complaint was filed on Friday at a police precinct in the capital of San Juan, police spokesman Edward Ramírez told The Associated Press on Saturday.

Information including who filed the complaint and details of the allegations are not public, given the nature of the complaint.

A person who was not authorised to speak about the case confirmed that Martin’s nephew, Dennis Yadiel Sanchez Martin, filed the complaint.

The person said the complaint does not automatically trigger an arrest because the alleged incident is not recent, adding that police will investigate and determine whether charges are warranted.

Mr Sanchez previously requested a restraining order against Martin in July, but a judge later archived the case after Mr Sanchez admitted under oath that he had never been sexually assaulted by the singer.

Flavia Fernandez, a spokeswoman for Martin, told the AP that his legal team is evaluating the situation and not issuing public comment for now.

On Thursday, the artist’s attorneys filed a lawsuit against his nephew, whom they described as “troubled”.

They accused him of extortion, malicious persecution, abuse of law and damages.

They said Mr Sanchez’s allegations cost Martin at least 10 million dollars worth of cancelled contracts and projects, plus another 20 million dollars in damages to his reputation.

The lawsuit states that Mr Sanchez would send up to 10 messages a day to Martin, the majority “meaningless diatribes without any particular purpose”.

It also accuses him of publishing Martin’s private number, forcing him to change it.

In addition, the lawsuit said Mr Sanchez falsely claimed he had a romantic relationship with Martin for seven months and that the singer did not want it to end and would call Mr Sanchez with frequency.

“Nothing further from the truth,” the lawsuit stated.

Attorneys also noted that a judge previously issued Mr Sanchez two restraining orders in an unrelated stalking case.