allegations

Singer Julio Iglesias issued a statement in response to allegations this week that he sexually assaulted two former employees at his homes in the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas.

The Grammy winner, the father of pop singer Enrique Iglesias, on Thursday denied the allegations as “absolutely false” in an Instagram statement posted in Spanish. “I deny having abused, coerced or disrespected any woman,” he said in his missive, which has been translated to English.

“These accusations are absolutely false and cause me great sadness,” he wrote.

“I had never experienced such malice,” the singer, 82, added, according to the Associated Press, “but I still have the strength for people to know the full truth and to defend my dignity against such a serious affront.”

Prosecutors in Spain said they are studying the allegations against Iglesias this week, claims that surfaced in media reports this week. Spanish online paper elDiario.es and Spanish-language television channel Univision Noticias this week published a joint investigation into accusations that Iglesias sexually and physically assaulted the former employees — two women who say they were live-in workers at his homes in the Caribbean — between January and October 2021 amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

Nongovernmental organization Women’s Link Worldwide is representing the two accusers, claiming Iglesias committed “crimes against sexual freedom and indemnity such as sexual harassment” and of “human trafficking for the purpose of forced labor and servitude.”

Spanish officials said they received a formal complaint about the allegations on Jan. 5. The court’s press office said Iglesias could potentially be taken in front of the Madrid-based court, which can try alleged crimes by Spanish citizens while they are abroad, AP reported.

The Madrid-born singer rose to popularity in the late 1960s and is one of the world’s most successful music artists. He has sold more than 300 million records in more than a dozen languages and garnered numerous Grammy nominations for his work, according to AP. A seven-time nominee, Iglesias won his first Grammy award in 1998, with his “Un Hombre Solo” winning the Latin Pop Performance prize.

Iglesias concluded his social media statement by thanking followers for their support.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

DISGRACED actor Noel Clarke has been declared bankrupt after losing a legal battle over sexual misconduct allegations.

The former Doctor Who star, who also wrote and directed hit films and dramas, was slapped with costs of up to £6million.

The married dad, 50, sued a newspaper for libel but a High Court judge said abuse claims by 20 women were “substantially true”.

An initial £3million legal costs payment was due by late last year but he filed for bankruptcy in a bid to avoid paying.

Official paperwork confirms Clarke, living in London’s upmarket borough of Kensington and Chelsea, was formally declared bankrupt on December 11.

Sources say he always knew he would never be able to meet his costs if he lost the case but “blindly pushed on regardless”.

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Clarke continues to protest his innocence and said after he lost his case: “For almost five years, I have fought against a powerful media outlet and its extensive legal teams over inaccurate and damaging reporting.

“These stories started via anonymous emails portraying me as a monster to attract attention and outrage.

“The goal was to damage my career, and they succeeded.

“I have never claimed to be perfect. But I am not the person described in these articles.

“Overnight I lost everything, the media outlet didn’t just ruin my life they ripped through my family’s also.”

He shot to fame playing Mickey Smith during the Christopher Eccleston and David Tennant eras of Doctor Who between 2005 and 2010.

Clarke also starred in blockbuster films such as Star Trek Into Darkness and turned to writing and directing, making movies including the ‘hood series – Kidulthood, Adulthood and Brotherhood.

In 2009, Clarke won the Rising Star prize at the Bafta Film Awards, and in 2021 was given Bafta’s Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema honour.

But that award and his Bafta membership were suspended when women came forward to accuse him of sexual misconduct.