Connect with us

Published

on

Former New York Yankees closer Mariano Rivera and his wife, Clara, have been added as named defendants in a civil lawsuit filed by a girl and her mother who say that, in 2018, the girl was sexually abused by an older child at events connected to the Riveras’ church in Westchester County, New York.

The lawsuit, filed in January in Westchester County Supreme Court, did not originally list the Riveras as named defendants but did accuse them of failing to protect the girl. The suit instead named Refuge of Hope — the church founded by the Riveras, where Clara Rivera is a senior pastor — and a limited liability company that included the Riveras’ former home address. They sold the home in 2022.

Adam Horowitz, an attorney for the girl, said Wednesday that the Riveras were added as named defendants in an amended court filing finalized Wednesday after it was determined they were not connected with the LLC. He said details within the lawsuit largely remain the same.

The Riveras have not been charged with any criminal wrongdoing.

Joseph A. Ruta, an attorney for the Riveras, said in a previous statement that any allegations that they knew about or failed to act on reports of child abuse “are completely false.” He said the couple learned of the allegations in 2022 after receiving a letter from an attorney requesting a financial settlement.

According to the original complaint, Clara Rivera suggested that the girl, who was a member of the Riveras’ church, attend a summer camp internship program in 2018 at an affiliated church in Florida, where the lawsuit said that children resided “without parental supervision.” Refuge of Hope paid for the girl’s expenses related to the program, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit said the girl, who was born in 2007, was “repeatedly sexually abused” by a “much older camper” while attending the program at the Ignite Life Center in Gainesville, Florida, and later at the Riveras’ home.

After a phone call from her daughter, the girl’s mother “learned information that made her concerned about [the girl’s] safety at the summer camp,” the lawsuit said.

The mother said in the lawsuit that she called Clara Rivera to relay her concern.

In response, according to the lawsuit, Clara Rivera assured the mother that she would investigate and respond. The lawsuit says the Riveras traveled to Florida to see the girl and that “each separately isolated and intimidated” her to remain silent about her experiences at the Ignite Life summer internship, including the abuse.

Later in the summer of 2018, there was a barbecue at a home owned by the Riveras in Rye, New York. According to the lawsuit, the barbecue was only for “minor children” who attended Refuge of Hope. The lawsuit said the girl was “left unsupervised” with the older child, who again abused her “by engaging in acts that would constitute a sexual offense under Article 130 of New York Penal Law.”

In 2021, the girl was again sexually assaulted, this time by a male youth leader at Refuge of Hope, according to the lawsuit. The abuse in that case was discovered by the girl’s mother, who found months of electronic communications between the two, the lawsuit contends.

Afterward, the girl and her mother filed police reports in New York and Florida regarding the abuse in 2018 and 2021.

The Associated Press reported in January that Ignite Life Center had settled lawsuits brought by three people — also represented by Horowitz — who said they were abused as teenagers by a volunteer at the church. Two others affiliated with the church have been charged with lewd and lascivious battery against minors.

Refuge of Hope was founded in 2009 by the Riveras, whose home served as a gathering space before moving to a building in New Rochelle, New York.

Mariano Rivera is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame and considered the greatest closer of all time. He played all 19 of his seasons with the Yankees, with whom he won five World Series rings.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

Continue Reading

Sports

Canucks, Boeser agree on new seven-year deal

Published

on

By

Canucks, Boeser agree on new seven-year deal

The Vancouver Canucks have come to terms with forward Brock Boeser on a new seven-year contract, carrying a $7.25 million AAV.

Canucks GM Patrik Allvin announced the deal on Tuesday during the first hour of NHL free agency. Boeser, 28, was an unrestricted free agent on a previously expiring contract.

Drafted by Vancouver 23rd overall in the 2015 NHL draft, Boeser has collected 204 goals and 434 points in 554 games with the Canucks to date. A top-six scoring threat, Boeser has elite playmaking skills and the potential to produce big numbers offensively. He had his best year offensively in 2023-24, producing 40 goals and 73 points in 81 games.

Boeser didn’t hit those marks again last season — settling for 25 goals and 50 points in 75 games — but was still second amongst teammates in output. He also plays a prominent role on Vancouver’s power play and when he can generate opportunities at 5-on-5, he is a true difference-maker up front for the Canucks.

The extension is a happy ending for Vancouver and Boeser. When the regular season ended, Boeser admitted “it’s tough to say” whether he’d be back with the Canucks. Boeser reportedly turned down a previous five-year extension offer with the club and Allvin subsequently looked into deals for him at the March trade deadline, with no takers. Boeser looked — and sounded — poised to explore his options on the open market.

Ultimately, Boeser decided to stay put by committing the best years of his career to the Canucks.

Continue Reading

Sports

Jake Allen agrees to 5-year deal with the Devils

Published

on

By

Jake Allen agrees to 5-year deal with the Devils

Jake Allen, one of the top goaltenders available entering free agency, is not heading to the market after agreeing to a five-year deal with the New Jersey Devils, sources told ESPN on Tuesday.

Allen’s average annual value on the deal is $1.8 million, sources told ESPN. That AAV allows the Devils to run back the same goaltending tandem for next season.

Jacob Markstrom has one year remaining on his contract for $4.125 million. Nico Daws is also under contract for next season, before becoming a restricted free agent next summer.

Several teams were interested in the 34-year-old veteran, whom sources said could have made more money on the open market. However, the deal with the Devils gives Allen long-term security. Allen has played for the Blues, Canadiens and Devils over his 12-year-career. He has started in 436 career games.

Last season, Allen started 29 games for the Devils, going 13-16-1 with a .906 save percentage, 2.66 GAA and four shutouts.

Continue Reading

Sports

Capitals sign Fehervary to 7-year, $42M extension

Published

on

By

Capitals sign Fehervary to 7-year, M extension

Washington Capitals defenseman Martin Fehervary signed a seven-year extension through the 2032-33 season that is worth $6 million annually, the team announced Tuesday.

Fehervary, who had one year of team control remaining, will enter the final season of a three-year bridge deal that will see him make $2.675 million before his new contract begins at the start of the 2026-27 season.

He finished the season with five goals and a career-high 25 points while logging 19 minutes. Fehervary also played a crucial role in the Capitals’ penalty kill by finishing with 245 short-handed minutes for a penalty kill that was fifth in the NHL with an 82% success rate.

Securing the 25-year-old Fehervary to a long-term deal means the Capitals now have seven players who have more than three years remaining on their current contracts.

It also means the Capitals front office has one less decision to make ahead of what is expected to be an active offseason in 2026 that will see the club have what PuckPedia projects to be $39.25 million in cap space.

That’s also the same offseason in which captain and NHL all-time leading goal scorer Alex Ovechkin‘s contract will come off their books along with that of defenseman John Carlson.

But until then, the Capitals have their entire top-six defensive unit under contract as they seek to improve upon a 2024-25 season that saw them finish atop the Metropolitan Division with 111 points before they lost in the Eastern Conference semifinal to the Carolina Hurricanes in five games.

Continue Reading

Trending