Ricky Martin sues nephew for $20 Million after he tried to ‘assassinate’ his reputation with false sexual abuse claims

Ricky Martin has announced he is taking legal action against his nephew, who he claims is trying to “assassinate” his reputation after he accused Martin of sexual assault.

The Livin’ La Vida Loca singer, aged 50, filed a lawsuit against his nephew, Dennis Sanchez Martin, on Wednesday (7 September).

It comes after Sanchez’s incest and abuse case against Martin in July, which claimed that the singer had physically and psychologically attacked the victim during a seven-month period.

Sanchez filed for a temporary restraining order under Puerto Rico’s domestic violence law after saying he “feared for his safety”.

Martin had strenuously denied the “completely false” accusations and had said he would respond with “dignity” to the judicial process.

The case was later dismissed after his nephew “voluntarily desisted” from moving forward, saying he no longer needed protection.

Following the dismissal, Martin spoke to the press, saying he needed to talk to begin his “healing process”.

He added that the experience had been “so painful and devastating” for himself and his family and friends. “I don’t wish this upon anybody,” he said.

In a video, he addressed his 21-year-old nephew directly: “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 he doesn’t hurt anybody else.”

In the latest round of legal action, Martin has listed a number of wrongdoings done by his nephew.

The lawsuit claims that a month after Dennis withdrew his restraining order, he began messaging Martin on Instagram, threatening to “assassinate his reputation and integrity” unless he received money.

Sanchez is alleged to have published Martin’s phone number and created an Instagram account for one of his children, which made him “uncomfortable”.

Ricky Martin states that his nephew bombarded him with up to 10 messages a day for four months between October 2021 and January 2022.

He says he lost out on multimillion-dollar contracts because of Sanchez’s claims.

Martin is suing Sanchez for $20 million for extortion, malicious prosecution, abuse of rights, and damages.

He has asked the judge to order Sachez to refrain from all communications with him and his family.

The Puerto Rican singer has been married to Syrian-Swedish painter Jwan Yosef since 2017.

The couple live in the north coastal town of Dorado in Puerto Rico with their twin boys Matteo and Valentino, 14, daughter Lucia, three, and son Renn, three.

Martin has been dubbed the “King of Latin Pop” and hit number one on the US charts in 1999 with his first English language album, which featured the hit single Livin’ la Vida Loca.