Ricky Martin will appear in court today via video camera where he will officially respond to allegations made by his nephew.
The Livin' La Vida Loca singer's lawyer says Ricky plans to "directly address the judge at the hearing " which is being held at a Puerto Rico court over whether to extend a restraining order taken against him, writes The Mirror.
Ricky's lawyer told NBC News yesterday that the 51-year-old will deny he had any romantic or sexual relationship with his nephew. He will also challenge allegations that he stalked and harassed him.
The singer has strenuously denied the "completely false" accusations and said he will respond with "dignity" to the judicial process.
Ricky was issued with a restraining order earlier this month following a domestic violence incident in Puerto Rico. The alleged victim's identity was withheld at the time but Ricky's brother, Eric Martin, has since identified the man as their nephew.
The singer is accused of "'exercising physical and psychological attacks" on his nephew during a seven month relationship, which reportedly came to an end around two months ago.
The singer's lawyer told TMZ: "Unfortunately, the person who made this claim is struggling with deep mental health challenges. Ricky Martin has, of course, never been - and would never be - involved in any kind of sexual or romantic relationship with his nephew."
They added: "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."
Ricky has been in the spotlight since the beginning of the 1990s, with his debut solo single, Fuego Contra Fuego, released in September 1991. His fame increased in 1995 when he released his Spanish language song, Maria, which charted around the world.
He topped the charts in 1999 with the release of his single, Livin' la Vida Loca, which was a number 1 on both sides of the Atlantic. He has since been lavished with a range of accolades including American Music Awards, Billboard Music Awards and two Grammy Awards.
Ricky became a trailblazer for the LGBT+ community in March 2010 when he came out as gay. with a video message to fans where he declared: "I am proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man. I am very blessed to be who I am."
He went on to marry an artist named Jwan Yosef in 2017, and together they have four children.
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