What happened with Gloria Trevi? Assault cult lawsuit allegations explained

Mexican pop star Gloria Trevi and her former producer Sergio Andrade have been accused of exploiting minor girls in 1990s. The musician is facing a new civil lawsuit from two accusers, both of whom have identified themselves as Jane Does.

As per documents obtained by the Rolling Stone and viewed by Variety, the victims alleged that Trevi and Andrade used their “role, status, and power” to abuse them across a span of several years. They alleged that the abuse started when they were aged 13 and 15, respectively.

Trigger Warning: This article contains mentions of child s*xual abuse, assault and m*lestation of a minor that might trigger some readers. Discretion is advised.

In the suit, the victims described themselves as “survivors of childhood s*xual abuse, battery, assault, m*lestation, and abuse." They claimed that they have suffered “substantial emotional distress, anxiety, nervousness, anger and fear.”

Prior to the latest allegations, both Trevi and Andrade were arrested in 2000 for abusing minors in 1990s. Multiple victims accused them of having alleged connections to a cult-like s*x ring.

Gloria Trevi served four years in a Chihuahua jail but was eventually acquitted of charges in 2004 due to insufficient evidence. She continued to have a thriving career following her release and maintained her innocence.

During an emotional speech at the 2018 Latin American Music Awards, Trevi claimed that a “big producer” manipulated, abused and punished her for several years. She added that she had to suffer “17 years of humiliation.”

Although Trevi did not name the producer in her speech, she allegedly hinted towards Andrade. The latter was also convicted of corrupting minors after spending four years awaiting trial but only served one year of prison time.

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A look into the civil lawsuit against Gloria Trevi

Gloria Trevi has been accused of exploiting two minors in 1990s (Image via Getty Images)

Two anonymous female victims recently filed a lawsuit against Gloria Trevi claiming that the singer groomed and exploited them when they were minors and procured them for her ex-producer Sergio Andrade in the early 1990s.

Trevi was described in the lawsuit as a “famous and popular pop star and one of the most highly compensated female artists in Latin America,” while Andrade was dubbed as “one of the most successful music producers in Mexico.”

The filing also described Trevi as “Mexico’s version of Madonna” while Andrade was described as her “behind-the-scenes production ace.”

The plaintiffs claimed that the former approached them when they were 13 and 15 years old and lured them to join Andrade’s music training program, claiming that it was an elite star-making opportunity.

However, they were allegedly turned into Andrade’s s*x slaves and faced years of alleged abuse, mostly in Los Angeles County. The 30-page civil lawsuit states:

“[Trevi and Andrade] used their role, status and power as a well-known and successful Mexican pop star and a famous producer to gain access to, groom, manipulate and exploit [the victims] and coerce s*xual contact with them over a course of years.

The legal document also claimed that a third defendant who worked with Gloria Trevi and Andrade as a choreographer, dancer and assistant was also allegedly involved in the offense. However, the individual was not named in the filing.

As per the filing, Jane Doe 1 was 15 years old when her mother took her to a 1991 event to meet Gloria Trevi. The girl was allegedly singing and dancing to Trevi’s music with other fans outside Andrade’s office in Mexico City when the singer suddenly approached her.

Trevi allegedly told her that she was “very beautiful and a very good dancer” before inviting her for an immediate audition. Jane Doe 1 also received an on-spot offer for a residential training program and moved to Mexico City to participate in the opportunity.

The lawsuit claims that in late 1991 or early 1992, Trevi visited Jane Doe 1 in her Hotel del Bosque room and told her that Andrade was “extremely upset” about a friendship she had developed with a male member of the group.

The plaintiff claimed that Gloria Trevi told her that Andrade had “strict rules” and that she would have to convince him to let her continue the program and avoid leaving the troupe. The singer allegedly told her:

“I don’t want you to go, you need to go talk to [Andrade], do whatever is necessary, whatever he asks of you because I want you to stay.”

The filing alleges that the teen was later told that she would have to develop a physical relationship with Andrade to stay in the troupe.

The lawsuit mentions that though the victim did not want to give in, she felt “extreme pressure” because she admired Trevi and Andrade and wanted to stay in the group and “didn’t know what else to do.”

Jane Doe 1 was allegedly 16 years old when a 36-year-old Andrade assaulted her. She was then allegedly manipulated and forced into a series of assaults until 2001. The complaint alleged:

“When [Gloria Trevi] perceived that [Jane Doe 1] was at a ‘breaking point’ from the abuse, [she] would intercede to manipulate and coerce [Jane Doe 1] into staying with the group, not leaving and not telling anyone about it, causing the sexual abuse to continue.”

The lawsuit mentioned that Trevi often told Jane Doe 1 that “the outside world was much worse than staying with the group.” The singer also told the teen that the troupe was a “family,” where she belonged. She allegedly said at the time:

“What’s waiting for you if you go back to Puebla City? This is your opportunity so don’t waste it. You are going to be traveling, doing music, learning a lot, BUT you need to do this.”

The suit claims that Andrade subjected Jane Doe 1 and other unidentified dancers to “whippings, beatings, food deprivation and forced physical exercise” if they ever “displease” him. He reportedly beat the victims with “electrical cords until their backs were bloody and bruised.”

It also mentioned that a condition of the punishment was that the victims “could not cry out or move while he beat them.” The beatings allegedly continued until the dancers were “silent and motionless as he inflicted the blows.”

Jane Doe 1 claimed that she was entirely removed from the stage and made to work as an assistant and slave for Andrade by 1993. She was reportedly “traumatized” and “broken” but had to remain with the group despite feeling “hopeless” and “like a zombie.”

The victim also alleged that her abuse continued when she traveled to Southern California with Gloria Trevi and Andrade for recording sessions and shows like the musician’s performance at the Roxy Theater on August 31, 1992.

The lawsuit claimed that the abuse continued until Andrade's arrest in 2000. Meanwhile, Jane Doe 2 claimed that she was 13 years old when Gloria Trevi approached her outside a Mexico City radio station in 1989.

The singer allegedly told her that she was recruiting performers and complimented the girl, saying that she was “very tall and pretty.” The lawsuit claims that Trevi asked the girl to remove her clothes at an audition a few weeks later.

While the teen refused the command, she said that she sang and danced before being offered a “scholarship” to attend Andrade’s classes. The paperwork alleges that Gloria Trevi soon started grooming the girl to become Andrade’s girlfriend.

She allegedly convinced the teen that she was the ideal girl to make him “believe in love again” after another teen “betrayed him” and broke his heart. The suit claims that Andrade began assaulting her in an office and a Mexico City apartment when she was still 13 years old.

The producer was 33 at the time, while Gloria Trevi was 21. Andrade allegedly told Jane Doe 2 that he would make her a star like Trevi if she complied with his demands. Meanwhile, he continued to abuse and control her.

He allegedly slapped her, punched her, beat her with a belt, made her starve and prohibited her from using the washroom.

The lawsuit alleges that the abuse against Jane Doe 2 continued when she traveled to Los Angeles with Andrade between 1990 and 1992, when Gloria Trevi was recording her albums Tu Angel de la Guarda and Mi Siento Tan Sola.

Jane Doe 2 alleged that she called her mother at one point and begged her to be rescued from the “bad people,” saying she was being held captive in Los Angeles.

However, Gloria Trevi allegedly intervened and convinced the teen to stay by claiming that she was “close to completing her album and reaching her dream of becoming a singer.”

The complaint also stated that Andrade married Jane Doe 2 in December 1990 when she was 15 years old to remove her from her mother’s legal custody.

The victim allegedly agreed to the marriage because “she was terrified of what [Andrade] would do if she refused.” She reportedly “escaped” from the troupe’s home in Mexico City in December 1992.

Both plaintiffs are seeking real and punitive damages, but the amount is likely to be decided at the time of trial. Amid the ongoing lawsuit, Gloria Trevi is reportedly scheduled to play three shows in Mexico City at the end of the month.