Pastor Eddie Long, an outspoken opponent of gay marriage, is now being sued by two young men who attended his church’s LongFellows Youth Academy and claim they were lured into trysts with cars, jewellery and cash.
Two other men have made similar accusations — including one who filed a lawsuit on Saturday. The lawsuit said Long coerced him into a sexual relationship during a trip to Kenya, at one point telling the young man “I will be your dad.”
Long and his attorney have denied all the accusations, with Long remaining largely silent. On Monday, he will speak publicly to his congregation at church for the first time since the lawsuits were filed.
The men, who were 17 and 18 at the time, say Long recruited them for the academy after they joined New Birth Missionary Baptist Church.
Published 26 September 2010, 16:38 IST