Ricky Martin has denied the recent allegations that led to him being issued with a restraining order.
According to Puerto Rican newspaper El Vocero, the Latin singer dated the petitioner for seven months before the pair separated two months ago. However, it’s said that Martin did not “accept” the break-up, and had repeatedly attempted to make contact with his former partner.
Martin is accused of calling the petitioner frequently, and of being seen loitering outside of his residence on at least three occasions, leading the petitioner to fear for his safety. Martin has been ordered to refrain from making any contact with the petitioner, physically or via telecommunication, extending to emails and social media.
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Police spokesman Axel Valencia refused to tell the publication who requested the restraining order, as the party’s anonymity is secured under Puerto Rico’s domestic violence law.
On July 3, The Associated Press reported that judge Raiza Cajigas Campbell had signed off on the order last Friday (July 1), although police were unable to discern Martin’s whereabouts until the following day.
It is said that the order will expire on July 21, upon which Martin and the petitioner will be summoned to a formal court hearing. Valencia, however, told TAP that such orders are typically valid for at least one month. A judge will ultimately determine its longevity at that hearing.
Martin denied the accusations in a statement posted on Twitter on Monday (July 4). “The protection order entered against me is based on completely false allegations, so I will respond through the judicial process with the facts and dignity that characterize me,” he wrote.
“Because it is an ongoing legal matter, I cannot make detailed statements at this time.”
He continued: “I am grateful for the countless messages of solidarity, and I receive them with all my heart. Ricky Martin.” You can see the message in the tweet below.
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A representative for Martin had previously claimed that the allegations were “completely false and fabricated”, per Billboard.
“We are very confident that when the true facts come out in this matter our client Ricky Martin will be fully vindicated.”
It was noted that the petitioner did not attempt to make direct contact with the police, and instead sent his request for a restraining order against Martin directly to the court.
Ricky Martin is best known for his 1999 hits ‘Livin’ La Vida Loca’ and ‘She’s All I Ever Had’, both of which appeared on his eponymous fifth (and first English-language) studio album (self-titled).
His latest release was the ‘Pausa EP’, which landed in May 2020 and is set to be followed up with another EP, ‘Play’, at some point this year.
Ricky Martin has filed a USD$20m lawsuit against his nephew, Dennis Yadiel Sanchez, who had accused him of sexual abuse earlier this year, before withdrawing the allegations.
21-year-old Sanchez had claimed that he had a seven-month long relationship with Martin and accused him of domestic violence and acts of incest, which would have left the singer facing up to 50 years in prison if convicted.
Sanchez also claimed that when the romantic relationship ended, Martin had stalked and harassed him, and filed a restraining order against the singer. He subsequently withdrew the allegations and the case was dismissed.
According to media reports, Ricky Martin has said that Sanchez “persecuted, besieged, harassed, stalked and extorted” him. Sanchez allegedly continued sending messages to Martin via Instagram after withdrawing his restraining order, with threats to “assassinate his reputation and integrity” if the singer did not pay him.
Martin has called his nephew a “maladjusted person”.
Martin claimed he lost several multi-million dollar deals due to the fall-out from the ‘false allegations’ that Sanchez directed at him in July this year and the singer is seeking compensation for these losses.
Who is Ricky Martin?
Born in 1971 in Puerto Rico, Ricky Martin began his singing career at the age of 12 as a member of boy-band Menudo.
Martin went on to launch a solo career in 1991 and has since sold over 70 million albums – making him one of the best-selling Latin music artists of all time.
Martin began publicly discussing his sexuality in 2010, putting to an end years of tabloid speculation.
Martin married Jwan Yosef in January 2018. Their family now includes four children.
