Ricky Martin’s nephew, who has accused him of incest and abuse, has ‘mental health problems’, according to the Livin’ La Vida Loca singer’s brother.
The revelation comes amid new claims that Ricky’s nephew Dennis Yadiel Sanchez has a lengthy criminal record in his native Puerto Rico and once threatened to kill a female co-worker.
Fox3Now reports that Sanchez’s colleague Claudia Ramrez Martell even took out a restraining order against him after he became ‘obsessed’ with her, repeatedly turning up outside their workplace saying he planned to murder her.
On Friday, Ricky’s brother Eric Martin claimed in a Facebook Live video that Sanchez ‘has mental problems’.
The Latin singer’s older brother said that the 21-year-old, who is now estranged from the family, had hurt other relatives.
He added that the family had been struggling to cope with Sanchez’s deteriorating mental health issues but that he was ‘tired of being quiet’ about them, though he said that he and his family still loved their troubled nephew.
Dennis Yadiel Sanchez, 21, has accused his uncle Ricky Martin, of incest
Eric Martin, Ricky’s younger half-brother, posted videos to social media in the wake of the explosive accusations, saying that Sanchez has mental health issues
Eric’s claims echoes what Martin’s legal team told DailyMail.com on Friday, which is that Sanchez is ‘struggling with deep mental health challenges’ and outright dismissed the ‘disgusting’ allegations.
The scandalous claims against the She Bangs singer emerged after Sanchez, the son of Vanessa Martin, the pop singer’s half-sister, filed a restraining order against his uncle Ricky on July 1.
The order related to a domestic violence incident in Puerto Rico but the victim’s identity had been withheld. Eric has since identified the alleged victim as Sanchez, Spanish news outlet Marca reported.
Sanchez has since claimed Ricky was ‘exercising physical and psychological attacks’ on him during their alleged seven-month relationship, which he says ended about two months ago.
The singer has denied the claims.
‘Ricky Martin has, of course, never been – and would never be – involved in any kind of sexual or romantic relationship with his nephew,’ lawyer Martin Singer said Friday.
Martin has strongly denied the allegations. He is pictured alongside his husband, Jwan Yosef, and their two eldest sons, Matteo and Valentino, in September 2019
The singer’s (second from right) brother, Eric Martin (pictured far left, with the family), identified his nephew, Dennis Yadiel Sanchez, as being Martin’s accuser. Sanchez is the son of Martin’s half-sister, Vanessa. Eric and Ricky are pictured together in a photo posted to Facebook in 2014
‘The idea is not only untrue, it is disgusting. We all hope that this man gets the help he so urgently 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.’
A representative for the married father-of four, 50, previously called the abuse allegations ‘completely false and fabricated’ in a statement provided to People earlier this month.
The star, who was spotted in Los Angeles Friday on the set of his new AppleTV+ miniseries, is expected in Puerto Rican court on July 21 for his trial.
Sanchez filed a restraining order against the singer on July 1 under Puerto Rico’s domestic violence law.
The order prohibited Martin from contacting or calling the petitioner who allegedly ‘feared for his safety.’
According to the order – which was reviewed by El Vocero, a Puerto Rican newspaper – Martin and Sanchez broke up two months ago after dating for seven months.
Sanchez alleged Martin didn’t accept the separation and had been loitering near his nephew’s house on least three occasions.
Dennis Yadiel Sanchez Martin, son of Vanessa Martin, in 2018
Eric Martin (second from the right) says their nephew (in green) has mental health problems. they are pictured together in an undated family photo
Sanchez also alleged Martin had been ‘consuming large amounts of alcohol and drugs.’
The protective order was signed on July 1, after authorities visited Martin’s neighborhood in the north coastal town of Dorado to try to serve him, police spokesman Axel Valencia previously told The Associated Press.
Valencia noted the person who filed for the restraining order didn’t contact police, which would have involved prosecutors determining if there was enough evidence to file charges. The request went straight to court.
‘The petitioner fears for his safety,’ El Vocero quoted the order as saying.
Valencia said that the order prohibits Martin from contacting or calling the person who filed it and that a judge will later determine at a hearing whether the order should remain in place or be lifted. He added that orders are usually implemented for at least a month.
Puerto Rican law takes allegations of incest very seriously. If convicted, the singer could face up to 50 years in prison.
Martin addressed the accusations on Twitter on July 3, saying: ‘The protection order entered against me is based on completely false allegations, so I will respond through the judicial process with the facts and the dignity that characterize me.
‘Because it is an ongoing legal matter, I cannot make detailed statements at this time. I am grateful for the countless messages of solidarity, and I receive them with all my heart.’
He has not made any additional statements regarding the accusations.
Martin addressed the accusations on Twitter on July 3 calling them ‘completely false’
Martin has been married to Syrian-born Swedish painter, Jwan Yosef, since 2017.
The couple shares four children: 13-year-old twins, Valentino and Matteo, as well as Lucia, three and Renn, also three.
In June 2021, Martin talked about his family while shutting down rumors they were expecting another child.
‘I don’t hide anything nowadays. We are not pregnant,’ Martin told People at the time. ‘Right now, we’re dealing with a pair of twins and a pair of Irish twins because Lucia and Renn are only nine months apart. And they’re overwhelming, but we’re strong and healthy.’
Still, he said they wanted ‘more’ kids in the future, and they have ’embryos frozen.’
Martin welcomed Matteo and his twin brother Valentino in 2008. The former Menudo member’s eldest children were born via gestational surrogacy.
At the time, the singer pointed out he had considered adoption, although he chose to work with a surrogate.
He later began a relationship with Yosef, his now-husband, and the twins’ second father, in 2016. The couple got engaged that same year and they tied the knot shortly thereafter.
The happy couple announced that they had welcomed a daughter named Lucia in December 2018.
The singer went on to reveal he and his husband were looking to add another child to their lives in September of 2019. Martin and Yosef, 37, subsequently welcomed a son named Renn the following month.
The performer discussed his earlier years during an interview with Out and recalled that he had previously been fearful of not being able to have a family due to his sexuality prior to his coming out.
‘Many years I dreamt of being a father, and many, many, many times I went through this grieving process of I am gay, I am a closeted gay man, and I’m not going to be able to be a daddy,’ he said.
He pointed out that, although he supported the idea of adoption for LGBT+ couples, he was aware of the hardships that many of them faced.
‘Obviously adoption is an option and it’s very beautiful, but unfortunately for gay men it’s very difficult to adopt in some countries,’ he said.
Martin was hit with the restraining order just days after his ex-business manager Rebecca Drucker announced she was suing him for shorting her $3 million for the services she provided.
Drucker said she initially worked for the entertainer between the years of 2014-2018, TMZ reported.
Drucker’s legal team claims Martin ‘completely and maliciously refused to pay Rebecca the millions of dollars in commissions that he owes her,’ Billboard reported, citing court docs in the case filed in Los Angeles Central District Court.
The San Juan, Puerto Rico native subsequently contacted Drucker in May of 2020 during a timeframe when his ‘personal and professional life [were] in absolute turmoil,’ and she effectively got his career back on track, Drucker alleged.
Drucker said in court docs she provided ‘invaluable services as his manager and top advisor’ in assisting Martin in regards to deals involving recording contracts, tours and sponsorships, assisting him in making millions via a North American tour he was on with Enrique Iglesias last year. The tour grossed $19 million, Billboard reported, citing its 2021 Year-End Boxscore chart.
Drucker also alleged she helped navigate the singer through a potential career crisis in September of 2020 when she linked him with with an effective legal team amid purported threats of ‘an unspecified career-ending allegation.’
The ‘Shake Your Bon-Bon’ singer ’emerged unscathed and proceeded with his professional resurgence’ with Drucker’s help, she told the court.
Drucker also told the court Martin was dishonest and manipulative in his dealing with her, and she resigned from working with him this past April.
She said that Martin had threatened her to not speak about their business together and unsuccessfully asked her to sign a nondisclosure agreement.
Drucker, who wants a trial by jury, is requesting $3 million and punitive damages in her case against the musical artist.
Martin, born Enrique Martín Morales, rose to fame at age 12 when he joined Puerto Rican boy band Menudo in 1984. He is pictured, on far right, with the band in the 1980s
Martin, born Enrique Martín Morales, rose to fame at age 12 when he joined Puerto Rican boy band Menudo in 1984. Industry experts allege his time Menudo was what helped launch his major music career.
He left the group five years later to pursue a solo career and is now regarded as Menudo’s most famous member.
The singer released a few albums in Spanish during the 1990s before he was selected to compose La Copa de la Vida for the 1998 FIFA World Cup. He later performed the song at the 41st Grammy Awards.
Martin gained global recognition with the release of his 1999 hit Livin’ la Vida Loca, which opened doors for his numerous English-language albums.
The singer is credited with selling more than 85 million albums worldwide and has earned more than 200 awards for his music, The Famous People reported.
He also launched a successful acting career. He was previously a star on General Hospital and appeared in Les Miserables on Broadway.
He earned an Emmy nomination in 2018 for his portrayal of Antonio D’Amico in the Ryan Murphy FX miniseries The Assassination of Gianni Versace.
Martin currently has a number of projects in the works, including an upcoming EP, and a role on Apple TV+ comedy Mrs. American Pie, which is based on Juliet McDaniel’s 2018 novel.
In the miniseries, Martin takes on the role of Robert, a ‘confirmed bachelor,’ who teams up with Kristen Wiig’s Maxine after her husband walks out on her during Thanksgiving 1969.
Devastated at the loss of her marriage and her social circle, Maxine asks Robert to create a fake family with her so Maxine can compete in the Mrs American Pie beauty contest.
Martin was hit with the restraining order just days after his ex-business manager Rebecca Drucker announced she was suing him for shortening her $3 million. Martin is pictured with his husband, Jwan Yosef, at the 2019 LACMA Art + Film Gala in Los Angeles
In addition to his successful entertainment career, Martin has become an advocate for LGBTQ rights around the globe.
Last month, the openly gay singer revealed he was traumatized when he was encouraged to come out during a television interview with Barbara Walters on The View in 2000.
‘When she dropped the question, I felt violated because I was just not ready to come out. I was very afraid. There’s a little PTSD with that,’ Martin said during a June interview for the annual Pride issue of People.
Martin came out as gay in 2010 with a statement on his website.
At the time, Martin said: ‘I am proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man. I am very blessed to be who I am.’
A decade prior to his coming out, the Livin’ La Vida Loca singer had sat down with Walters, now 92, at the height of his fame to chat about his life and career.
But he was stunned when the legendary interviewer quizzed him on his sexuality.
Ricky Martin told People magazine’s Pride issue he suffered post-traumatic stress disorder after he was pressured to come out in a 2000 Barbara Walters interview
Walters asked: ‘The rumors that talk about your sexual orientation, you must be aware of these?’
‘Do they hurt? How do you handle them?’ she pressed.
Martin explained: ‘The word says it, ‘intimacy.’ Sexuality and homosexuality should not be a problem for anybody. I think that sexuality is something that each individual should deal with in their own way, and that’s all I have to say about that.’
Walters, who retired and disappeared from TV screens in 2015, responded: ‘Well, you know you could stop these rumors. You could say, as many artists have, ‘yes I am gay’ or you could say ‘no I’m not’ or you could leave it, as you are, ambiguous.
‘I don’t want to put you on the spot and it’s in your power to do it and I’m bringing it up with you Ricky because you know that this is being said and you’re even being named.’
Martin affirmed: ‘Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to express the rumors but, for some reason, I just don’t feel like it.’
The Latin star says he suffered post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of being put on the spot in such a public forum as he was not ready to discuss his sexuality so openly.
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