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Renowned megachurch leader, Bishop T.D. Jakes, has filed a defamation lawsuit against pastor Duane Youngblood in Pennsylvania federal court, denying allegations of sexual abuse labelled against him.
The legal action follows Youngblood’s appearance on the podcast Larry Reid Live on October 27, where he accused Jakes of attempting to assault and groom him as a teenager sexually, according to Ice Cream Convos.
Youngblood, alongside his attorney, initially sought $6 million from Jakes to settle the matter privately, but the bishop refused and chose to address the claims through the courts. His legal team described the lawsuit as an effort to bring this scheme to a halt and restore Bishop Jakes’s reputation.
The court filing highlighted Youngblood’s criminal history as a registered sex offender in Pennsylvania. He previously pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting multiple teenage boys, a detail which Jakes’s team argues undermines the credibility of his allegations.
Youngblood, who identifies as a reformed homosexual, has publicly shared his journey through his book, Freedom from Homosexuality: No Longer Living the Lie. However, his latest claims have stirred intense reactions on social media.
Larry Reid, the host of Larry Reid Live, reflected on the controversy in an Instagram post, noting, “The discovery process has me concerned. Duane can have others subpoenaed and they must tell the truth under oath. This can become a media storm that no one walks away from unscathed.”
Comments on Reid’s post reveal divided opinions. One user referenced past scandals involving church leaders, stating, “The church folks said the same thing about Eddie Long right before he was exposed… yall put these men on a pedestal. It’s the same story, different pastor.”
Another commenter questioned Youngblood’s approach, suggesting he should have sought legal avenues instead of airing accusations online.
They remarked, “Only he and Jakes knows what really transpired…if someone that I wanted no parts of in that way tried to pull me in to kiss me they would not be comfortable enough to call me the following morning.”
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