Ricky Martin's Brother Makes Claim Amid Drama With Nephew That Could Change Everything
Ricky Martin is facing a number of legal woes that could totally derail his life. On June 29, the singer's former manager, Rebeeca Drucker, sued him for over $3 million in unpaid commissions, per Deadline. Drucker claimed that she saved Martin's career but never got paid and hinted that, if he didn't fork over the cash, she'd expose the truth about him. That would allegedly include details about "a toxic work environment," "a particularly ugly incident in Dubai involving Martin and his representative José Vega" in 2018, and a "potentially career-ending allegation in September 2020."
Jump to July 2, and Martin was hit with a restraining order in Puerto Rico, per AP News. It was filed by an unnamed man — who was not his husband — who alleged the pair dated for several months and that he was subjected to mental and physical abuse. The plaintiff claimed that, after they broke up, Martin would not accept the split and showed up at his home on numerous occasions. Martin responded on Twitter, writing, "The protection order entered against me is based on completely false allegations."
Less than two weeks later, the allegations against Martin took a disturbing new turn when Marca reported that the plaintiff was actually Martin's 21 year-old nephew, Dennis Yadiel Sanchez. According to Latin Post, Sanchez's mother is Ricky Martin's stepsister, which would mean they're not blood relatives. But, Martin still faces a potential 50-year jail sentence in Puerto Rico if it's found he had an incestuous relationship with Sanchez. Now, the case has taken another turn.
Ricky Martin's brother is speaking out about the allegations
Following news reports that Ricky Martin may have had an inappropriate relationship with his 21-year-old nephew, Dennis Yadiel Sanchez, the "Livin' La Vida Loca" singer is vehemently denying all reports. Speaking through his attorney, Marty Singer, he told Us Weekly that Sanchez's allegations are false and that, "unfortunately, the person who made this claim is struggling with deep mental health challenges." Singer also added that "the idea is not only untrue, it is disgusting." Indeed, Martin's brother, Eric Martin, is now seconding the notion that Sanchez is not a trustworthy source.
Taking to Facebook Live (via the Daily Mail), Eric said Sanchez "has mental problems" and is estranged from the family. He added (via Twitter) that the accuser has a history of diagnosed mental illness and that the Martin family has doubts about his claims because "not everyone who uses a protective order is speaking truth." Meanwhile, Fox3Now has highlighted Sanchez's troubled legal past in Puerto Rico, which includes several run-ins with the law and a restraining order filed against him by a former female colleague who alleged he repeatedly told her he would kill her. As for Ricky, his rep said, per TMZ, that he hopes Sanchez gets the medical help he needs, "but, most of all, we look forward to this awful case being dismissed as soon as a judge gets to look at the facts."
If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.