Yankees’ Hall-of-Famer denies child sex abuse coverup allegation

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New York Yankees all-time great Mariano Rivera is in the news for all the wrong reasons.

Yankees: Mariano Rivera blamed for hushing child sex abuse

According to Justin Tasch of the New York Post, Rivera and his wife Clara were accused of concealing the sexual abuse of a minor on multiple occasions in 2018, at their estate and at a summer camp associated with their church. Tasch shared this statement on the ongoing development:

“Mariano and Clara Rivera do not tolerate child abuse of any kind and allegations that they knew about or failed to act on reports of child abuse are completely false,” Joseph A. Ruta, the Riveras’ attorney, said Thursday in a statement. “The very first time they heard about these allegations was nearly four years after the alleged incident, when in 2022 a New York attorney sent a letter requesting a financial settlement. This was followed by a second letter in 2023, from a different Florida law firm, again requesting a financial settlement.

“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.”

Rivera & wife Clara allegedly brushed abuse under rug

An anonymous plaintiff claims that she was sexually abused twice by another girl, as well as by the son of the former superstar closer’s pastor of his Refuge of Hope church. “Mo” and his wife Clara allegedly coerced the plaintiff of the lawsuit to not speak out about the abuse in an attempt to preserve their religious establishment.

Now, Rivera is facing the likelihood of having to pay financial damages if a court decision comes back in the now-17-year-old girl’s favor.

The MLB’s all-time leader in saves otherwise carries a pristine reputation. Rivera received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2019 and is known for his philanthropy. The Yankees’ five-time World Series champion and 1999 World Series MVP made 13 All-Star teams in his career and is widely regarded as the greatest closer in the history of the Major Leagues.

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