DALLAS — T.D. Jakes has filed a defamation lawsuit against a man who alleged in a YouTube talk show that Jakes tried to groom and sexually assault him years ago.
The lawsuit names Duane Youngblood, 58, was filed in Pennsylvania district court Nov. 25 and revised Nov. 26, court documents show. The lawsuit also lists 10 unnamed defendants who allegedly “have acted in concert and agreement with Youngblood in order to commit defamatory conduct.”
Specifically, the lawsuit alleges Youngblood said in recent appearances on the YouTube talk show Larry Reid Live that Jakes tried to kiss him and called him from a bathtub telling Youngblood he wanted to sleep with him when Youngblood was in his late teens.
The filing of the lawsuit comes after Jakes experienced a medical incident during a recent Sunday sermon, and the lawsuit appears to attempt to link the incident to the accusations.
“Youngblood’s intentional and malicious lies have taken a substantial emotional and physical toll on Bishop Jakes,” the lawsuit alleges. “On November 24 – the day before he filed this action – Bishop Jakes had a medical crisis on stage in the middle of his Sunday service in front of his entire church.”
Jakes is the founder and senior pastor of The Potter’s House in Dallas. WFAA has reached out to The Potter’s House in Dallas for comment. Jakes shared earlier this week that he underwent emergency surgery after he suffered a medical incident during a sermon at The Potter’s House Nov. 24.
The lawsuit also alleges Youngblood is a registered sex offender. Youngblood was convicted of sexual assault of a minor in 2008 and corruption of minors in 2014, according to Pennsylvania’s sex offender registry.
The lawsuit further alleges a lawyer purporting to represent Youngblood in a Nov. 15 letter asked Jakes for $6 million “to resolve this matter quickly and privately” shortly after the episodes of his appearances on Larry Reid Live were published online.
Attorneys for Youngblood did not immediately respond to a request for comment. WFAA will update this story as additional information becomes available.
The lawsuit seeks $75,000 in damages in addition to attorney’s fees and punitive damages.
