Yankees Legend and Wife Named in Shocking Child Sexual Abuse Lawsuit

Mariano Rivera and Wife Clara Named in Child Sex Abuse Lawsuit
(Include image: Mariano and Clara Rivera in court, caption: "The Riveras deny allegations of covering up abuse at their church events.")

New York Yankees legend Mariano Rivera and his wife, Clara, have been added as defendants in a child sexual abuse lawsuit alleging they failed to protect a minor from repeated assaults at events linked to their church. The suit, first filed in January 2024 in New York’s Westchester County Supreme Court, accuses the couple of enabling a culture of negligence that allowed abuse at their home and a Florida summer camp affiliated with their ministry, Refuge of Hope Church.

Allegations of Abuse and Intimidation
The plaintiff, identified as “Jane Doe,” claims she was sexually assaulted by an older female minor during a 2018 internship at the Ignite Life Center, a Florida camp tied to the Riveras’ church. The suit alleges the abuser, also a minor, targeted Doe in dormitories and showers. When Doe’s mother alerted Clara—a senior pastor—about her concerns, Clara reportedly promised to investigate during a visit to the camp with Mariano. Instead, the couple allegedly pressured Doe to stay silent to “avoid trouble” for the church.

(Include image: Refuge of Hope Church, caption: "The Riveras co-pastor the New Rochelle-based church, now scrutinized in the lawsuit.")

A second alleged assault occurred weeks later at a barbecue hosted by the Riveras at their $4 million New York home, where the same abuser reportedly attacked Doe again. The lawsuit states the Riveras “falsely promoted their events as safe” despite alleged risks. In 2021, Doe says she was abused by the adult son of an associate pastor serving as a youth leader at Refuge of Hope.

Riveras Deny Wrongdoing
The couple’s attorney, Joseph Ruta, called the claims “completely false,” stating they first learned of the allegations in 2022 via a settlement demand letter. While the Riveras are now named defendants, they face no criminal charges. The suit initially targeted their church’s LLC, which listed their former Rye, New York, home address before they sold it in 2022.

(Include image: Mariano Rivera in Yankees uniform, caption: "The Hall of Famer won five World Series titles with the Yankees.")

Rivera’s Legacy Under Scrutiny
Mariano, 55, is widely regarded as baseball’s greatest closer, playing for the Yankees from 1995–2013 and earning a 2019 Hall of Fame induction. Since retiring, he and Clara have focused on ministry work. The lawsuit casts a shadow over his post-baseball reputation, which includes a 2019 Presidential Medal of Freedom awarded by Donald Trump, whom Rivera publicly supports.

(Include image: Rivera with Trump, caption: "Rivera received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019.")

The case continues to unfold as legal teams prepare for court proceedings. For now, the Riveras maintain their innocence, while advocates stress the importance of accountability in institutional abuse cases.

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