A Spanish High Court prosecutor's office has said it is investigating allegations in Spanish and US media outlets that singer Julio Iglesias sexually assaulted two former female employees.
There was no immediate response to emails seeking comment, sent by Reuters to representatives of Julio Iglesias, 82.
The star's record label, Sony, declined to comment.
The women, said to have worked in Iglesias' Caribbean residences in the Dominican Republic and Bahamas over a 10-month period in 2021, were cited in a three-year investigation by the US broadcaster Univision and Spanish outlet elDiario.es published on Tuesday.
Both women alleged sexual assault and workplace harassment while working for the singer, the outlets reported. The reports alleged that Iglesias pressured the women into sexual encounters and subjected them to additional physical and verbal abuse.
The prosecutor's office said it opened preliminary proceedings after a claim was filed on 5 January.
Details of the case are covered by secrecy rules that prevent the prosecutor's office from providing further information.
Iglesias is one of the world's best-selling Latin artists, with more than 300 million records sold in 14 languages. A former aspiring football player, he turned to music after a 1963 car accident ended his sports career.
The allegations sparked a noisy reaction in Spain, where the star is considered a national treasure.
Ana Redondo, the Socialist-led government's Equality Minister, said in a statement she respected Iglesias' presumption of innocence but that she believed the women's allegations.
Leftist party Más Madrid suggested the right-wing government of the Madrid region should strip Iglesias of the keys to the city, which he was awarded. Iglesias has backed conservative political candidates in the past.
Regional president Isabel Díaz Ayuso issued a furious response on X, saying: "The Community of Madrid will never contribute to attacks on the prestige of artists, not least the most universal singer of all: Julio Iglesias."
Source: Reuters
