Yankees legend Mariano Rivera and his wife deny covering up child sexual assault at multiple church events

Hall of Fame closer Mariano Rivera and his wife, Clara, have denied allegations of covering up a child sexual assault stemming from a lawsuit filed by a teenage girl, identified as Jane Doe. The complaint alleges that Jane Doe was sexually assaulted multiple times during an event at a church where Clara Rivera serves as senior pastor. One of the assaults allegedly took place at a reception at Rivera’s primary residence in Rye, New York.

“Mariano and Clara Rivera do not tolerate any form of child abuse and the allegations that they knew about or failed to act on reports of child abuse are completely false,” said Joseph Ruta, l Riveras’ attorney, in a statement to USA Today. “…The lawsuit, which seeks financial damages for the Riveras’ alleged failure to respond to alleged incidents that were never reported to them, is filled with inaccurate and misleading statements that we are sure , cannot be held in court.

The Riveras own and operate a church and an LLC, through which they own their primary residence, known as Refugio de Esperanza (“Shelter of Hope”). They have a long-standing partnership with Ignite Life Center, a church in Gainesville, Florida. The Ignite Life Center is embroiled in a sexual abuse scandal in which three people were arrested for molesting minors during a camp/internship program. The complaint alleges that Jane Doe was sexually assaulted at the Ignite Life Center by a camp attendee identified as MG. Jane Doe was again sexually assaulted by MG at a barbecue for church members at Rivera’s New York residence, according to the lawsuit.

Refugio de Esperanza and 1 Brook View Rye LLC are named as defendants in the complaint, although the Riveras are not specifically named. The complaint alleges that the church failed to protect Jane Doe and that the Riveras “isolated and intimidated” the girl into remaining silent. The lawsuit says their actions were “consistent with established and continuing policy.” modus operandi by DEFENDANTS to handle sexual abuse allegations internally to avoid scrutiny, public scandal, and potential financial losses due to child sexual abuse allegations becoming public information.

The full complaint can be read here. Here’s more information about the lawsuit:

“Ms. Rivera and her husband, Refuge of Hope employee/volunteer/agent Mariano Rivera, then traveled from New York to Florida to see Jane Doe as part of the Ignite Life summer internship. During this trip , the Riveras, in their capacity as agents for Defendants learned or should have learned that Jane Doe had been sexually assaulted by MG Rather than taking sufficient steps to stop Jane Doe’s sexual abuse, the. Rivera each isolated and intimidated Jane Doe to keep silent about her abuse at the hands of MG to avoid causing trouble at the Refuge of Hope and the Ignite Life summer camp.

…

“At all times, the affected DEFENDANTS had superior knowledge of the risk of harm that JANE A DOE would be sexually assaulted in their custody and failed to inform JANE A DOE and/or her parents of their superior knowledge of the risk of harm to JANE A. DOE.

“To the contrary, DEFENDANTS falsely represented to JANE A DOE and her parents that JANE A DOE was safe and adequately cared for while in DEFENDANTS’ custody and/or presence.”

Jane Doe and her family were members of the Refugio de Esperanza. The lawsuit alleges that Clara Rivera suggested around 2018 that Jane Doe, who was around 11 at the time, take a summer internship at the Ignite Life Center, with Refugio de Esperanza covering the expenses. The internship included a residency at the Ignite Life Center, where there was no parental supervision. During that internship, according to the lawsuit, MG “repeatedly” assaulted Jane Doe, who was only allowed to call her parents “sporadically.”

The complaint was filed Jan. 16 and gives the defendants 20 days to respond to the subpoena. The complaint requests a jury trial that would determine monetary damages. Although the Riveras are not named as defendants, New York state law says landowners are responsible for acts committed on their property.

Rivera, 55, played his entire career with the New York Yankees. He is the all-time saves leader with 652 and was unanimously elected to the Hall of Fame in 2019.