Ricky Martin’s attorney is firing back after several reports alleged the star may have had an abusive and incestuous relationship with his 21-year-old nephew, Dennis Yadiel Sanchez.
“Unfortunately, the person who made this claim is struggling with deep mental health challenges,” Martin’s attorney Marty Singer said in a statement to ET Canada on Friday.
“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.”
“We all hope that this man gets the help he so urgently needs,” the celeb attorney added. “But, most of all, we look forward to this awful case being dismissed as soon as a judge gets to look at the facts.”
The latest allegations against Martin come just weeks after a then-unnamed plaintiff in Puerto Rico was granted a temporary restraining order against Martin, 50, after the petitioner claimed the singer was abusive towards them. The identity of the plaintiff was kept anonymous by authorities due to the nature of the accusations. However, earlier this week, Spanish news outlet Marca reported that Eric Martin, the singer’s brother, identified the petitioner as the star’s 21-year-old nephew, Dennis Yadiel Sanchez.
According to Marca, Martin and Sanchez had an approximately 7-month long romantic relationship before Sanchez ended the affair. Martin was allegedly so upset that he continued to contact his nephew and showed up at his home, actions that presumably led Sanchez to seek a protective order under Puerto Rico’s Law 54, also known as the Domestic Abuse Prevention and Intervention Act.
“The allegations against Ricky Martin that lead to a protection order are completely false and fabricated,” Martin’s representatives said at the time the restraining order was granted. “We are very confident that when the true facts come out in this matter our client Ricky Martin will be fully vindicated.”
A hearing on the case will take place on July 21 in Puerto Rico. Martin faces the possibility of a nearly 50-year sentence if found guilty of domestic abuse with a relative.
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Ricky Martin’s Former Manager Sues Him For More Than $3 Million In Unpaid Commissions
Martin is also facing legal trouble from his former manager Rebecca Drucker who is suing Martin for $3 million U.S., alleging the star owes her unpaid commissions. In her legal filings, Drucker claims she saved saved her supposedly substance-abusing client from a “potentially career-ending allegation in September 2020.”
Despite his mounting legal woes, Martin continues to work. He was spotted in Los Angeles on Thursday on the set of the Apple+ TV series, “Mrs. American Pie,” which also stars Carol Burnett, Kristen Wiig, Josh Lucas, Allison Janney and Leslie Bibb.