The lawsuit claims the harassment continued even though Martin’s nephew admitted under oath in July that he was never sexually assaulted by the artist.
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Puerto Rican superstar Ricky Martin filed a lawsuit against his nephew on Wednesday, alleging extortion, malicious persecution, legal malpractice and false allegations of sexual assault. Damages incurred were alleged.
Martin’s lawyers said the nephew’s claim, which he has since retracted, has cost the singer millions of dollars.
The suit, filed in the US Territory Court of First Instance, alleges that Martin was “persecuted, besieged, harassed, stalked and robbed” by her “disturbed” nephew for economic reasons. It further alleges that if the nephew receives no financial benefit, he will “continue to impugn the reputation and integrity of the artist.”
The lawsuit claims the harassment continued even though Martin’s nephew, identified as Dennis Yadell Sanchez Martin, admitted under oath in July that he was never sexually assaulted by the artist.
Sanchez previously sued his uncle based on the false allegations, which led to a Puerto Rico judge issuing a restraining order against Martin in July that was later suspended by a court.
According to the lawsuit, the allegations cost Martin at least $10 million in revenue from canceled contracts and projects, as well as $20 million in losses.
An attorney representing Sanchez in the case could not immediately be reached for comment. It was unclear if she would also represent Sanchez in the lawsuit filed Wednesday.
The lawsuit says that from October 2021 to January 2022, Sanchez would send Martin 10 messages a day, most of which were “meaningless diatribes with no specific purpose.”
He also accused Sanchez of posting Martin’s private number on Instagram, forcing the singer to change his number.
Several months went by without texting Sanchez until she requested a protection order against Martin in July, according to the lawsuit.
It also said that Sanchez falsely alleged that she had been romantically involved with Martin for seven months and that Martin allegedly did not want the relationship to end and called Sanchez frequently.
“Nothing could be further from the truth,” according to the lawsuit.
He also said two restraining orders had previously been filed against Sanchez in an unrelated stalking case.