Ricky Martin is taking legal action against his nephew, Dennis Sanchez Martin, who accused the global star of sexual assault. This comes weeks after Sanchez dropped his lawsuit and a restraining order. Martin is seeking $20 million in damages for extortion, malicious prosecution, and abuse of rights.
According to Martin’s legal team, Sanchez launched his attack on the Livin’ La Vida Loca singer after he didn’t follow him on social media and ignored his requests to create social media pages for his children. When Martin did not respond, according to documents obtained by People, Sanchez allegedly began a crusade to damage Martin’s reputation and career.
“Defendant Sanchez filed his request for a Protective Order based on malice and animosity against Plaintiff, for the mere fact that he failed to answer his multiple messages,” documents obtained by People claims. It continues to say that Sanchez “has threatened and extorted Plaintiff that, unless he is economically compensated, he will continue his campaign to assassinate his reputation and integrity, through false and malicious imputations.”
Sanchez originally claimed that he and Martin had a romantic affair for seven months and that Martin couldn’t accept that the relationship had ended. A judge awarded Sanchez a 20-day restraining order for his safety on July 1.
Sanchez, whose mother is Martin’s sister, asked a judge to withdraw the case on July 21 but only after he approached Martin’s legal team for “economic compensation” to end the lawsuit. According to People, Ricky Martin’s legal team did not oblige the request for financial compensation.