Beloved Yankees legend accused of covering up minor’s sexual abuse

New York Yankees Hall of Fame closer Mariano Rivera and his wife, Clara, have been named in a lawsuit that alleges they covered up the sexual abuse of a minor — at a summer camp and their home.

In a lawsuit filed on Jan. 16 in the Supreme Court of Westchester County and obtained by the Gainesville Public Information Services (GnvInfo) and the Independent, the Riveras have been accused of ”being negligent in their supervision and allegedly failing to act upon learning that a young girl from their church was being sexually abused.” They’ve also been sued for “premises liability” at their church and former home, according to GnvInfo.

Rivera, who pitched for the Yankees from 1995-2013 and recorded 652 saves while a fan favorite, is a pastor at Refuge of Hope Church in New Rochelle, New York, according to the Independent. Clara oversees the day-to-day operations, and according to both outlets, citing the complaint, she persuaded the young girl’s mom to send her daughter to the summer camp that was tied to the Riveras’ church.

Via the Independent:

According to the filing in the civil case, the plaintiff – known as “Jane Doe” – claims she was sexually abused by an older minor girl – anonymised as “MG” during a summer internship in 2018 at the Ignite Life Center in Gainesville, Florida, which was supported by Rivera’s church.

The abuse allegedly continued at a barbeque hosted at the couple’s former Brook View property in Rye, New York, in August 2018 before it was sold in June 2022 according to the complaint.

The Riveras, Life Center and Ignite Life Center have not responded to the Independent’s request for comment.

According to the lawsuit, after the alleged victim’s mother became concerned for her daughter’s well-being after one phone call, she relayed her concerns to Clara Rivera, who promised to investigate the matter. The Riveras traveled to Florida for the summer camp, where they “learned or should have learned” information about the alleged sexual abuse, the lawsuit states.

“Rather than take sufficient action to end the sexual abuse of Jane Doe (the victim), the Riveras each separately isolated and intimidated Jane Doe to remain silent about her abuse by MG (the suspect) to avoid causing trouble for Refuge of Hope and the Ignite Life Summer Internship.”

The Riveras lied to the minor’s mother, according to Gainesville Public Information Services, citing the lawsuit.

The girl returned to Refuge of Hope after the internship, the Independent wrote, before the alleged abuse continued at Riveras’ former home during a barbecue that included the church’s children but no parents, according to Gainesville Public Information Services. The Riveras left the minor with “MG” during the event, according to the lawsuit.

Via Gainesville Public Information Services:

“Upon information and belief, [the] defendants’ failure to take corrective action in response to the 2018 allegations at the Ignite Summer Internship was consistent with an established and ongoing modus operandi by [the] defendants’ to handle allegations of sexual abuse internally so to avoid scrutiny, public scandal, and potential financial losses from allegations of child sexual abuse becoming public information.”

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Related Posts

Red Sox SHOCK Trade Pitch: Dumping All-Star Jarren Duran to Astros for a Questionable Southpaw Reliever – Fans Outraged!

Getty Jarren Duran had another big year for the Red Sox in 2025 but could find himself playing in a different uniform next year. Perhaps the only…

Skip Schumaker DROPS Bombshell: Why He’s BENCHING the Rangers All-Star in Spring Training

The Texas Rangers have two games scheduled on Thursday, as one half of the team will play against the Milwaukee Brewers, and the other half will take…

Masyn Winn is already the Cardinals’ next All-Star shortstop and nobody can convince me otherwise.

Feb 16, 2026; Jupiter, FL, USA; St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn (0) throws during spring training workouts at Roger Dean Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-Imagn Images…

🚨🔥 DON’T MISS THIS CACTUS LEAGUE SHOWDOWN: Chicago Cubs vs. Cleveland Guardians LIVE at Sloan Park! The desert battle is set to ignite with first pitch time, TV channels, and streaming options all revealed! Get ready for an unforgettable spring clash — mark your calendars NOW! 👇👇👇

The 2026 Cactus League is heating up with a thrilling matchup between the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Guardians at Sloan Park in Mesa, Arizona. This Spring Training showdown is an exciting chance for both…

🚨🔥 DON’T MISS THIS CACTUS LEAGUE SHOWDOWN: Chicago White Sox vs. Texas Rangers LIVE at Camelback Ranch! The desert battle is heating up with first pitch time, TV channels, and streaming options all revealed! Get ready for an unforgettable spring clash — mark your calendars NOW! 👇👇👇

Get ready for an electrifying matchup in the 2026 Cactus League as the Chicago White Sox face off against the Texas Rangers at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona. This highly anticipated game is part of…

🚨🔥 DON’T MISS THIS CACTUS LEAGUE SHOWDOWN: Atlanta Braves vs. Boston Red Sox LIVE at CoolToday Park Stadium! The epic desert battle is set to ignite — first pitch time, TV channels, and streaming options all revealed! Fans are already gearing up for this action-packed clash. Mark your calendars NOW for a can’t-miss event! 👇👇👇

The 2026 Cactus League is here, and baseball fans are in for a treat as the Atlanta Braves face off against the Boston Red Sox at CoolToday Park Stadium in North Port, Florida. This exciting Spring…