THE wife of a high-profile American televangelist has filed for a divorce.
Vanessa G Long, according to a statement given by her attorney, has filed for a divorce from her husband, televangelist Bishop Eddie Long, according to a statement given by her attorney.
In the statement, she asked for privacy and respect. However, she did not provide any explanation of her decision to file for divorce.
“It is my sincere hope that this matter can be resolved expeditiously, harmoniously, and fairly. I ask that you respect my privacy and that of my family, as my attorneys and I have agreed that we will not try this case in the media, and I do not intend to make any further statements concerning this matter,” the statement said.
According to a report in Christian Post, last fall, two young Atlanta men accused Bishop Eddie Long of the New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, Ga., of coaxing them into having sex with him.
The young men, who were then underage and members of New Birth and the Longfellows Youth Academy, claimed they received money, expensive gifts and trips from the bishop in exchange for sexual acts. A fifth accuser eventually stepped forward making similar claims, the report said.
For several years now, Bishop Long has been a vocal opponent of homosexuality. He and his church once led a nationally televised march condemning homosexual behavior as immoral and contrary to biblical teachings.
After the allegations broke out, Bishop Long admitted to taking the then-teenage boys on trips overseas on his private jet. Bishop Long also admitted through church attorneys to sharing hotel rooms with the teen boys individually, but denied any sexual misconduct.
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