Ricky Martin Breaks Silence After Court Victory Against Nephew

Ricky Martin spoke out about the "devastating" claims his nephew brought against him in a request for a temporary restraining order earlier this month. On Thursday, a judge dismissed the restraining order after Martin's nephew withdrew his claims. Martin's 21-year-old nephew claimed he had a seven-month romantic relationship with Martin, allegations the "Livin' La Vida Loca" singer denied previously through his lawyer.

After Thursday's hearing, Martin sent a video message to TMZ, saying he could not address the "painful" and "devastating" claims himself until the legal proceedings were over. His priority now is "to heal." He said he could not "defend" himself publicly before because a legal procedure blocked him from doing so until he was in front of a judge.

"Thank God [these] claims were proven to be false, but I'm going to tell you the truth," Martin said. "It has been so painful. It has been devastating for me, for my family, for my friends. I don't wish this upon anybody."

The singer wished his nephew the best. "To the person that was claiming this nonsense, I wish him the best," Martin, 50, said. "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."

Martin hopes performing will help him heal and move on from the situation. "I cannot wait to be back on stage," said the singer. "I cannot wait to be back in front of the cameras, and entertain, which is what I do best." He ended the video by thanking his fans for believing in him, noting they had "no idea the strength that you gave me with every comment you wrote on social media."

Earlier this month, a Puerto Rico judge granted a temporary restraining order against Martin. According to early reports on the order, the petitioner claimed to have had a seven-month romantic relationship with Martin and they broke up two months before they filed the documents. It was later reported that the petitioner was Martin's nephew, prompting Martin to deny the allegations publicly through a statement from his attorney, Marty Singer.

"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," Singer said, calling the allegations "untrue" and "disgusting." The attorney said they hope Martin's nephew "gets the help he so urgently needs."

After Thursday's hearing, Martin's legal team confirmed it was the accuser who dropped the claims against Martin. "This was never anything more than a troubled individual making false allegations with absolutely nothing to substantiate them," Martin's lawyers said Thursday. "We are glad that our client saw justice done and can now move forward with his life and his career."