Mariano Rivera Sued for Allegedly Covering Up Child Sex Abuse

Mariano Rivera Sued for Allegedly Covering Up Child Sex Abuse

Former New York Yankees pitcher Mariano Rivera and his wife, Clara, are being sued over accusations that they covered up the repeated sexual abuse of a minor, according to a New York lawsuit.

The lawsuit details two incidents where the plaintiff, identified only as “Jane Doe,” says she was sexually abused as a minor in 2018 and 2020. The incidents allegedly occurred at Refuge of Hope Church in New Rochelle, where the Riveras serve as pastors.

The lawsuit alleges that in 2018, “Jane Doe” was sexually assaulted by a teenage girl, “MG,” while participating in a summer internship at the church. The victim’s mother reported the abuse to Clara Rivera, who allegedly promised to investigate but instead covered it up.

Riveras Accused of ‘Isolating and Intimidating’ Victim

The lawsuit claims that rather than taking action to end the abuse, the Riveras “each separately isolated and intimidated Jane Doe to remain silent about her abuse by MG to avoid causing trouble for Refuge of Hope and the Ignite Life Summer Internship.”

The lawsuit also alleges that the Riveras encouraged the young girl to keep quiet about the abuse. The church is also named as a defendant in the lawsuit, and is accused of failing to provide adequate supervision and failing to report the alleged abuse.

Additional Sexual Assault Allegation

In 2021, “Jane Doe” alleges that she was sexually assaulted by a male church employee who was a youth leader. The lawsuit states that he forced her to engage in “graphic electronic communications of a sexual nature” until he was caught by the girl’s mother and allegedly confessed to his actions.

Riveras Deny Allegations

In a statement, the Riveras’ attorney said that they “do not tolerate child abuse of any kind” and that the allegations that they knew about or failed to act on reports of child abuse are “completely false.”

The lawsuit seeks compensation and punitive damages.

Assemblies of God Affiliates Facing Similar Allegations

This is not the first time that an Assemblies of God affiliate has been accused of covering up child sex abuse. Last month, three young victims settled lawsuits against Florida affiliates of Assemblies of God, alleging similar sexual assaults.

Former Camp Worker Pleads Guilty

Last week, a former worker at the same camp where “Jane Doe” and the other victims attended entered into a plea deal after facing charges in connection with sexual misconduct against minors.