Ricky Martin has reportedly filed a $20million (£17.4million) lawsuit against his nephew who made claims that he was involved in a sexual relationship with the singer.Â
In July, the Livin La Vida Loca hitmaker was subject of a restraining order filed by his .Â
Martin, 50, vehemently denied the claims and his nephew’s lawyer subsequently requested that the , which a judge in Puerto Rico granted.Â
The singer was later seen in a video from the remote court hearing explaining Â
It’s now reported that Martin is suing his nephew for extortion, malicious persecution and abuse of law.
The lawsuit states that Martin has been ‘persecuted, besieged, harassed, stalked and extorted’ by his nephew, who has reportedly continued to communicate with the singer via text message with threats to ‘assassinate his reputation’ unless ‘he is economically compensated’.
In the documents, filed in the US territory’s Court of First Instance, it’s claimed the nephew sent up to 10 messages a day to Martin between October 2021 and January 2022, many of which are described as ‘meaningless diatribes without any particular purpose’.
However, it’s said that the text messages from the nephew stopped until this summer when he filed for a restraining order.
The relative, who has not been named, is also accused of publishing Martin’s private phone number on social media forcing him to change it.
In the suit, it’s noted how the nephew claimed Martin ‘did not accept that the alleged relationship ended’, but the singer’s attorneys state ‘nothing could be further from the truth’.
Martin claims to have suffered losses of $10m (£8.7m) in income, and $20m worth of damage to his reputation.Â
The allegations have reportedly left Martin and his family feeling ‘unsafe in Puerto Rico’ where they primarily live.
After the restraining order request was withdrawn in July, Martin said in a court video: ‘I’m in front of the cameras today because I really need to talk in order for me to start the healing process. For two weeks I was not allowed to defend myself because I was following a procedure where the law obligated me not to talk until I was in front of a judge.
‘Thank God these claims were proven to be false but I’m going to tell you the truth. It has been so painful. It has been devastating for me, my family, my friends. I don’t wish this upon anybody.’
He then addressed his accuser, adding: ‘To the person that was claiming this nonsense, I wish him the best and I wish he finds the help so he can start a new life filled with love and truth and joy and that he doesn’t hurt anyone else.
‘Now, my priority is to heal and how do I heal? With music,’ the singer, who dressed smart in a suit, said with a smile.’
Martin continued: ‘I cannot wait to be back on stage, I cannot wait to be back in front of the cameras and entertain which is what I do best. Thank you to all of my friends, thank you to all the fans who always believed in me.
‘You have no idea the strength that you gave me with every comment you wrote on social media. I wish you love and light, here we come with the same strength and passion. God bless you all.’
Metro.co.uk has reached out to Ricky Martin’s representatives for comment.
