An investigative report detailing sexual assault allegations against Spanish singer Julio Iglesias, produced by elDiario.es in collaboration with TelevisaUnivision, has been selected as a finalist for the 2026 Online Journalism Awards. The Online News Association announced the finalists on Friday, placing the cross-border journalistic investigation into two distinct categories: Digital Video Storytelling (Long Form) and Feature (Small Newsroom).
Founded in 1999 and headquartered in Washington, the Online News Association operates as the world’s largest digital journalism association, organizing the annual awards program to honor excellence and innovation in digital reporting. The recognition places the investigation alongside reporting from major international outlets including NBC, the BBC, ProPublica, Business Insider, and collaborative teams from Bellingcat, FRONTLINE, and The Washington Post.
In the Digital Video Storytelling category, the investigation competes against NBC’s documentary work in Gaza, the BBC’s reporting on teenage drug crises in Russia, ProPublica’s coverage of Venezuelan migrants in the United States, Business Insider’s investigation into data centers, and an alliance covering attacks on Iranian nuclear infrastructure. In the Feature category for small newsrooms, the article—translated into English as Sexual assault allegations at Julio Iglesias’ mansions—is nominated alongside reporting from The Margin and Amazon Underworld.
The nominated series originated from a spontaneous tip received by elDiario.es at 14:03 on January 17, 2023. A man using a pseudonym contacted the newsroom after watching a television broadcast regarding abuse allegations against Plácido Domingo, suggesting that an unnamed prominent Spanish figure was tied to an unreported misconduct case. Over a three-year reporting period, journalists from elDiario.es and Univision Noticias conducted interviews with approximately fifteen former employees who worked across the singer’s residences in Punta Cana, Bahamas, and Spain.
The investigative reporting culminated in January 2026 with the publication of accounts from two former employees, Rebeca and Laura, who accused Julio Iglesias of sexual assault. The two women subsequently filed a complaint with the Fiscalia de la Audiencia Nacional. Spanish authorities ultimately archived the complaint due to a lack of jurisdictional competence within the Spanish court system, though both women indicated they would continue pursuing access to justice.
The reporting team involved journalists Elena Cabrera, Ana Requena Aguilar, Raquel Ejerique, María Ramírez, Natalia Chientaroli, and Izaskun Pérez from elDiario.es, alongside Federica Narancio, Esther Poveda, Gerardo Reyes, Margarita Rabin, Jose Ángel Gonzalo, and Daniel Coronell from TelevisaUnivision.
Following the publication of the investigation, Julio Iglesias filed a legal complaint in July against elDiario.es, director Ignacio Escolar, and journalists Juan Luis Sánchez, María Ramírez, Ana Requena, and Elena Cabrera. The legal action alleges the commission of public insults, defamation, and offenses against moral integrity.
The Online Journalism Awards selection process involves a two-phase evaluation. Digital journalism professionals first review submissions to determine semifinalists, followed by an evaluation panel that met in August to finalize finalists and winners based on innovation, digital storytelling techniques, and adherence to professional standards.
