Ricky Martin Sues “Maladjusted ” Nephew For $20M Over Attempts To “Assassinate” His Reputation & Biz Deals
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Just over a month after Ricky Martin escaped a restraining order or potential felony charges over sex abuse allegations in Puerto Rico, the “Livin’ La Vida Loca ” singer now has struck back with a $20 million lawsuit against his accusing nephew.
“The reckless, malicious and culpable actions by Defendant Sanchez were motivated by the desire to expose Plaintiff to hatred and disdain from his fanbase, to threaten his business opportunities and to destroy his reputation,”says an extortion, malicious prosecution and abuse of right complaint lodged against “maladjusted” Dennie Yadiel Sanchez Martin in the Superior Chambers of San Juan today (read it here).
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“As a matter of fact, such actions caused Plaintiff to have multimillion dollar-contracts and present and future artistic projects cancelled,” the eight-page filing from Martin’s Monserrate Simonet & Gierbolini lawyers goes on to say. “The pecuniary damages caused as a result of these actions are quantified in an amount not less than ten million dollars ($10,000,000.00),” it adds. “In addition, such culpable actions have also caused damage to Plaintiff’s reputation who, until the Protective Order became public knowledge, enjoyed an impeccable reputation earned through his long artistic and altruistic career for the last almost forty (40) years of his life. Such damages to Plaintiff’s reputation are quantified at the date of the filing this lawsuit in an amount not less than twenty million dollars ($20,000,000.00).”
Alleging that Sanchez continues to communicate with Martin with threats to “assassinate his reputation” unless “he is economically compensated,” the complaint states that the Emmy nominated performer and his immediate family feel “unsafe in Puerto Rico” now.
This all seemed to be over.
In a July 21 court hearing on the unincorporated U.S. territory island, Sanchez withdrew domestic abuse accusations against Martin. A virtual participant from LA in the hearing, Martin watched as a local judge tossed a previously granted TRO against the singer and declined to extend the order.
“This was never anything more than a troubled individual making false allegations with absolutely nothing to substantiate them,” Martin’s Puerto Rico-based attorneys Joaquín Monserrate Matienzo, Carmelo Dávila and Harry Mansanet Pastrano said in a statement after the July 21 hearing. “We are glad that our client saw justice done and can now move forward with his life and his career.”
Case closed, right?
Previously, a Puerto Rican judge consented to the TRO against Martin in early July after the Mrs American Pie actor was accused of domestic violence. Though the identity of the applicant sealed, it became clear soon afterwards that the plaintiff that it was Martin’s 21-year-old nephew. Sanchez claimed that he and Martin had a seven-month romantic and sexual relationship, and that the singer couldn’t accept it was over. In that vein, Sanchez said in court papers last month that he “fears for his safety.”
The petition for the restraining order was made under the island’s Law 54, also known as the Domestic Abuse Prevention and Intervention Act. Through his City of Angels lawyer Marty Singer, Martin on July 15 denied ever having “been — and would never be– involved in any kind of sexual or romantic relationship with his nephew.”
Now, as this new turns plays itself out in Puerto Rico, Martin is still up against another sharp elbowed court battle stateside. The Grammy winner and star of The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story, was hit with a hardcore $3 million lawsuit from his on-again/off-again manager Rebecca Drucker over unpaid commissions on June 29. In the combination of meat and sizzle that usually serves to drive parties towards a settlement, Drucker and her then Venable LLP lawyer tossed into their filing that the manager saved the supposedly substance-abusing Martin from a “potentially career-ending allegation in September 2020.” – a.k.a.: pay up or we spill the beans.
That matter is still moving through L.A. Superior Court, but it seems Drucker has retained new representation in the form of veteran heavyweight lawyer Larry Stein. The matter is set for a hearing of its own in DTLA in early October.
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