Gloria Trevi says she was a 'prisoner' of former manager Sergio Andrade in new lawsuit
Gloria Trevi has come out against claims she participated in the sexual abuse of young girls with a cross-complaint filed against her former manager, Sergio Andrade.
The Mexican pop star, born Gloria de los ángeles Trevi?o Ruiz, filed the complaint in Los Angeles Superior Court on Thursday, accusing her 68-year-old ex-producer of sexual assault, sexual battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress, among other charges.
The lawsuit claims Trevi, who has been referred to as the "Mexican Madonna," was under Andrade's "control" from a young age, with her talent exploited by the producer for profit.
She was "little more than a prisoner: controlled, mentally and physically tortured, and effectively enslaved by Andrade," the suit alleges.
In a statement shared with USA TODAY, Trevi, represented by Camille Vasquez, said the cross-complaint was filed in order "to shed light on the alleged wrongdoings and ensure that the truth prevails."
"I have chosen to take this legal action to fight for justice and to send a message that such appalling acts should not be tolerated," Trevi, 55, said in an emailed statement provided to USA TODAY via her lawyers. "No one should have to go through what I experienced, and I am determined to hold those responsible accountable for their actions."
"Our client, Gloria Trevi, has shown immense strength and courage in coming forward and filing this cross-complaint," Vasquez, who previously represented Johnny Depp, said in a statement. "We are fully prepared to present our case and seek justice on her behalf."
A rep for Sergio Andrade could not be reached for comment by USA TODAY.
Gloria Trevi accuses former manager of sexual abuse: What the lawsuit alleges
In the suit, Trevi claims she was watched by other young women under Andrade's control to ensure she "stayed in line" or else face "sadistic punishments" including starvation, "extreme and grueling exercises" and beatings "sometimes to the point of unconsciousness."
"Instead of living the lifestyle of the rich and famous that one might expect of the 'Mexican Madonna,' Ms. Trevi, in private, was often dressed in old rags, sometimes forced to sleep naked for days on a cold bathroom floor," the filing alleges.
The lawsuit includes allegations of rape and "mental, sexual, and other abuse" by Andrade, which eventually led Trevi to attempt suicide.
The cross-complaint follows a reported December 2022 filing in Los Angeles Superior Court. In January, Variety and Rolling Stone reported the lawsuit was filed on Dec. 30, 2022, by two Jane Does, who accused anonymous individuals of "childhood sexual abuse, sexual battery, assault, molestation, and abuse" which led to "substantial emotional distress, anxiety, nervousness, anger and fear."
The filing does not explicitly name Trevi or Andrade as defendants, according to the outlets, instead identifying one as "one of the most highly compensated female artists in Latin America" and the other as "one of the most successful music producers in Mexico."
Trevi's cross-complaint names herself, along with Andrade and Mary Boquitas, a backup singer, explicitly as the defendants. But Trevi's suit alleges Boquitas was another victim of Andrade.
According to the complaint, Andrade secretly married Boquitas, who was a fellow member of the short-lived rock group Boquitas Pintadas with Trevi. Boquitas, like Trevi, "was an underage girl and easy prey to his influence, manipulation, and abuse," the filing alleges.
Trevi's cross-complaint names the Janes Does as cross-defendants, claiming the women, as well as media outlets, have orchestrated "false rumors" by "knowingly and wrongfully attributing blame to Ms. Trevi for wrongs done by Andrade" in order to destroy her career.
Trevi claims she has "stayed silent" about her abuse because she wanted to protect her children while they were underage and "did not wish to relive the awful experiences."
"But her children are now grown, and false attacks against Ms. Trevi persist in blaming her for the acts of the very man who inflicted horrific abuse on her," the filing claims.
Trevi is requesting indemnity in the suit filed in December 2022.
Allegations that Trevi and Andrade abused young girls have come out as early as the 1990s, though Trevi has maintained that she was also a victim of Andrade. In 2000, she began a nearly five-year sentence served in Brazil and Mexico on charges of corrupting minors, for which she was acquitted in 2004.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Gloria Trevi accuses former manager of sexual assault
