Ricky Martin sues nephew for $20 million over ‘disgusting’ incest and abuse allegations
Ricky Martin. (Getty)
Ricky Martin has filed a $20 million lawsuit against his nephew over incest and abuse allegations that were later withdrawn.
The singer found himself at the centre of a media storm when his 21-year-old nephew Dennis Yadiel Sanchez alleged the pair had been in a short-lived relationship.
Sanchez accused Ricky Martin of “hanging around his residence on at least three occasions” after the alleged relationship ended, which led to the courts granting a temporary restraining order against the singer.
Martin’s nephew later voluntarily withdrew the allegations, which Martin’s representatives had described as “not only untrue” but “disgusting”.
Now, the “Livin’ La Vida Loca” singer has condemned Sanzhez’s “reckless, malicious and culpable actions” in a $20 million lawsuit filed in Puerto Rico.
Ricky Martin says nephew attempted to ‘assassinate his reputation’
Ricky Martin has accused his “maladjusted” nephew of trying to “destroy his reputation” with the allegations.
“As a matter of fact such actions caused plaintiff to have multimillion dollar-contracts and present and future artistic projects cancelled,” the filing, which has been published by Deadline, states.
Martin also accused his nephew of threatening to “assassinate his reputation” unless he was “economically compensated”.
Ricky Martin speaks out after ‘devastating’ incest and abuse claims dropped (Daniele Venturelli/amfAR/Getty Images)
Sanzhez’s actions have caused Martin and his family to feel “unsafe in Puerto Rico”, the court filing says.
Martin said Sanchez published the singer’s private phone number on Instagram as an “act of retaliation for the silence and lack of attention” he had received from the singer.
The singer was “confused and incredulous” when he learned about his nephew’s allegations, and the experience left him “shattered”.
The filing strenuously denies wrongdoing by Martin, saying Sanchez’s claims that the pair engaged in a relationship couldn’t be “further from the truth”.
Martin’s lawsuit also accuses Sanchez of making contact with the singer twice after he withdrew his allegations in July. The singer claims Sanchez messaged him on Instagram saying “Uncle I need your help” and “how are you?”.
“Defendant Sanchez has threatened and extorted plaintiff that, unless he is economically compensated, he will continue with his campaign to assassinate his reputation and integrity, through false and malicious imputations,” the lawsuit says.
Ricky Martin. (Denise Truscello/WireImage)
“The reckless, malicious and culpable actions by defendant Sanchez were motivated by the desire to expose plaintiff to hatred and disdain from his fanbase, to threaten his business opportunities and to destroy his reputation.”
Martin and his legal representatives have repeatedly denied any wrongdoing by the singer since Sanchez first made his claims public.
“Unfortunately, the person who made this claim is struggling with deep mental health challenges,” Martin’s lawyer Marty Singer said in a statement in July.
“Ricky Martin has, of course, never been – and would never be – involved in any kind of sexual or romantic relationship with his nephew. The idea is not only untrue, it is disgusting.”
On 21 July, after Sanchez withdrew his allegations, Martin’s legal team said: “This was never anything more than a troubled individual making false allegations with absolutely nothing to substantiate them.”
