Spanish Prosecutors Reverse Course on Jurisdiction in Julio Iglesias Sexual Violence Complaint

Spain's Public Prosecutor's Office has changed its position and now considers that Spanish courts hold jurisdiction to investigate a criminal complaint filed against Julio Iglesias by two former employees. The complainants, identified in reporting by elDiario.es as Rebeca and Laura — fictitious names used to protect their identities — are former workers at the singer's luxury villa in Punta Cana, where they say they were confined during the pandemic and subjected to harsh working conditions. The two women come from different countries and very different backgrounds. Their account, published by elDiario.es, alleges harassment, abuse, sexual assault and humiliation; in their words, they did not deserve the physical, psychological and sexual mistreatment they suffered. Criminal law professor Juan Antonio Lascuraín commented on the prosecutors' reversal, saying time had been lost but that the change was welcome. The shift follows nine months of legal maneuvering over whether the case could proceed in Spain. The singer is now closer to facing trial there. The source material does not specify the dates of the alleged conduct, the exact charges accepted, or the procedural steps that produced the prosecutors' new stance.