( CNN ) -- A Spanish court has reopened an investigation into an allegation that one of the world 's richest men , Saudi Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal , raped a young woman on a yacht on the island of Ibiza in 2008 . But the prince says that not only is he innocent , but that he has n't even been in Ibiza in more than a decade -- and that others have tried to impersonate him . The woman filed her complaint in Ibiza in August 2008 , but a local judge shelved it last year , citing a lack of evidence that a crime had been committed , according to court documents . The woman appealed to the next highest court , the Balearic Island Provisional Court , which ruled that the lower court in Ibiza should reopen the investigation . According to court documents obtained by CNN , the victim argued in her appeal that the real reason the lower court tossed out the case was that the alleged perpetrator was a powerful member of the Saudi royal family . A second document shows that the lower court has complied with the latest ruling , labeling Prince Alwaleed as a person an `` imputado , '' or someone `` under official investigation , '' and is seeking a statement from him . Being named an imputado is a step short of an indictment . The Saudi prince , a billionaire and the biggest foreign investor in companies such a News Corp. , said in a statement that it was not until this week that he learned of the accusation . `` These allegations are completely and utterly false , '' said a statement from his investment firm , Kingdom Holding Co. `` The alleged encounter simply never happened . '' According to the statement , the prince does n't even vacation in Spanish waters . Travel records show that he was elsewhere on the night of the alleged rape and in the company of others , the statement says . But Max Turiel , one of the lawyers for the alleged victim , says there is evidence that they want to the court to examine further . According to the court documents , the woman believed that her drink had been drugged . She sent a text message to a friend stating as much . She awoke on a yacht to find she was being sexually assaulted by a man she identified as Prince Alwaleed , according to court documents . Turiel told CNN that `` there were remains of semen '' that should be examined against the prince 's DNA , as well as `` remains of a tranquilizer that produced the symptoms she had . '' The evidence came from tests carried out 30 hours after the alleged rape , the attorney said , so the alcohol was gone from her body , but not the drug or the DNA . Turiel said the alleged victim 's mother could answer questions from CNN , but only through e-mail . He provided responses to CNN 's questions that he said were from the mother . CNN can not independently confirm that the message was from the victim 's mother . `` She wanted to reopen the case due to the huge injustice and a feeling of a helplessness ; powerful people should not take undue advantage of it and have others subjected to them , '' the message said . The message described the `` man or men '' who allegedly abused the young woman as powerful individuals who threatened her on board the yacht . Asked if her daughter was afraid to appeal the case , the mother said , `` Part of the fear has a lot of dignity and that ca n't be bought nor scared off with threats . '' The young woman , a dual Spanish and German citizen , is now 23 years old , the e-mail said . Asked for additional comment on Thursday , Prince Alwaleed 's representatives did not immediately respond to CNN .
A judge rules that a lower court must reopen the rape case . The alleged victim says she was drugged and raped . She identifies Saudi Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal as the perpetrator . The prince says he was in a different place at the time of the alleged attack .