An attorney representing former MLB star and New York Yankee Mariano Rivera and his wife, Clara Rivera, has responded to the couple being accused of covering up sexual abuse allegations in connection with their church.
Per a report from the Associated Press, available here, the two are not directly named as defendants in a Jane Doe lawsuit filed in New York last week. However, they are accused of taking actions to pressure the alleged victim, whose age is said to have been no older than 11 at the time. The Jane Doe attended a summer camp at Ignite Life Center in Florida in 2018, during which she was allegedly sexually abused by an older participant in the program.
The Ignite Life Center program, notably, is said to have had involvement from the Refuge of Hope Church in New York, where Clara serves as senior pastor. The church’s official site says its mission is to serve as “a multicultural united body of believers committed to the revitalization of its community through acts of service and a genuine demonstration of God’s love.”
Following the alleged 2018 abuse, the suit alleges the Jane Doe was again abused by the same individual at a church-related gathering at the Rivera residence. Then, in 2021, she was allegedly abused by a different individual described as a male youth leader.
In a statement shared last week, Adam Horowitz, a managing partner of the firm representing the alleged victim and her family, said the Riveras “missed the opportunity” to protect his client from abuse.
“I commend our young client for her bravery and commitment to truth,” Horowitz said. “We thank her for sounding the alarm on a potentially dangerous environment for kids.”
When reached for comment by Complex on Thursday, Horowitz’s office reiterated that statement, as well as shared police incident reports related to the allegations in the lawsuit.
Complex has also reached out to reps for Ignite Life Center and Refuge of Hope Church for comment, as well as to an attorney for the Riveras. This story may be updated.
In a statement shared with the New York Post, attorney Joseph A. Ruta, representing the Riveras, called the allegations “completely false.” Ruta further alleged that the couple had been sent two financial settlement requests, one in 2022 and another in 2023.
“The lawsuit, which seeks financial damages for the Riveras’ alleged failure to act on alleged incidents that were never reported to them, is full of inaccurate and misleading statements which we have no doubt will not hold up in a court of law,” Ruta added.
