Authorities in the Netherlands have brought charges against two prominent Dutch celebrities in connection with a sexual abuse scandal at hit talent show The Voice of Holland.

Jeroen Rietbergen, the ex-husband of Dutch actress and TV personality Linda de Mol, sister to The Voice creator John de Mol, has been charged with sexual assault of a woman “in or around the recording studio” in 2018 during the taping of the show when he was the on-air bandleader. Ali B, a Dutch rapper and former celebrity coach on The Voice, has been changed with three counts of sexual assault, one in connection to the show. Both men deny all allegations.

Police also investigated a third man, Marco Borsato, another celebrity judge, in connection with The Voice sexual misconduct case but have decided not to pursue charges against him due to a lack of evidence.

In a statement issued by his lawyer, Rietbergen called the decision to prosecute him both “incomprehensible” and “a very heavy blow.”

Rietbergen has admitted to “relationships of a sexual nature,” including “exchanging sexually explicit messages” with women involved in The Voice of Holland but claims there was no coercion involved. At the time, he said, he did not believe he was abusing his position of power on the production. He has since issued an apology and, in January last year, resigned from the show.

In January 2022, broadcaster RTL pulled The Voice of Holland off the air citing the misconduct and abuse allegations. ITV Studios, which owns John de Mol’s production company Talpa, producer of The Voice, commissioned an external investigation into the allegations.

In an interview with Dutch media after the allegations came to light, John De Mol, who ran The Voice of Holland from its start in 2010 through 2019, said he was aware of only a single complaint made against Rietbergen in 2019. Linda De Mol, one of the most popular actresses and TV personalities in the Netherlands, split from Reitbergen after the assault allegations were made public.

A court date for the trial of Rietbergen and Ali B has not yet been set.