Atlanta - Two men have filed a lawsuit accusing Bishop Eddie Long of exploiting his role as pastor of an Atlanta area mega church to coerce them into sexual relationships
when they were young members of his congregation. lawyers for the men, mow 20 and 21, say they filed the lawsuit on Tuesday in Dekalb County Court. The Associated Press generally does not identify people who say they were victims of sexual impropriety. Craig Giilen, Long's attorney, said Tuesday the pastor "categorically denies the allegations". The men were 17 and 18 year old members of Long's New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in Lithonia, when they say Long abused his spiritual authority to seduce them with cars, jewelry money, clothes, international trips and access to celebrities. B.J Bernstein, an attorney representing the plaintiffs, said that when the relationships started, the plaintiffs were past the legal age of consent in Georgia, which is 15.
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