Further details in relation to the restraining order against the singer became public over the past few weeks. The identity of the person who filed the domestic abuse allegations against Ricky Martin is now public, and it is Martin’s nephew.
On July 2, Puerto Rican authorities reported that a judge issued a restraining order against Martin under the Domestic Abuse Prevention and Intervention Act.
The police spokesman, Axel Valencia, told The Associated Press that “the person who filed for the restraining order did not contact police, which would have involved prosecutors determining if there was enough evidence to file charges. Rather the request went straight to the court”.
A few days later, Martin released two statements on social media, in English and Spanish.
“The protection order entered against me is based on completely false allegations, so I will respond through the judicial process with the facts and the dignity that characterize me”, he says.
— Ricky Martin (@ricky_martin) July 4, 2022
Recently, it has been established that the person granted the restraining order against the singer was Martin’s 21-year-old nephew, Dennis Yadiel Sanchez. Allegedly, he and his uncle had an affair that lasted 7 months.
Dennis requested the restraining order on the basis that Ricky, who has been married to Jwan Yosef since 2018, was lingering around his house after they broke up, making him “fears [sic.] for his safety”.
The singer’s lawyer, Marty Singer, told multiple medium outlets that “unfortunately, the person who made this claim is struggling with deep mental health challenges”. Then, he continues assuring that “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 [sic.] disgusting”, adds the lawyer.
Last week, Ricky Martin’s brother, Eric Martin, went live on social media to talk (in Spanish) about the situation. Eric also claims that their nephew suffers from mental health issues and does not believe that his brother would do such a thing.
A court hearing is due to take place this Thursday, July 21, in Puerto Rico to address the case. If found guilty of the allegations made by his nephew, Ricky Martin could face a sentence of approximately 50 years for domestic abuse with a relative.
If you have been affected by this story or are looking to reach out to someone for support or advice or just to talk, there are numerous services available for LGBTQ+ people, listed below, and many offer instant messaging support.
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