Bishop TD Jakes has strongly denied allegations of misconduct made against him by two brothers, both pastors, saying they are false and part of an attempt to extort money from him.

The 67-year-old megachurch pastor and motivational speaker first faced accusations last year from former pastor Duane Youngblood, 58, who claimed Jakes targeted him over 40 years ago. Recently, Duane’s older brother, Richard Edwin Youngblood Sr., 62, also filed a similar claim.

He wrote in his affidavit: “(Jakes) secured a room with two beds in it, and we went to the room for the night. That night, while I was laying in my bed, I felt Elder Jakes climb into my bed.  

“He pressed his body against mine and asked, ‘Youngblood, do you feel that?’ He was referencing his er3ction that he was pressing against my backside.

“I got up out of bed in complete shock as he also [got] up from the opposite side and met me. He grabbed me by my arms and pulled me to him and started trying to kiss me. At this point, I cannot believe what is happening to me.”

Richard alleged that Jakes took advantage of him years ago while they shared a hotel room during a ministry event. His lawsuit was filed to support Duane’s accusations. Several other men have also provided sworn statements backing Duane’s claims.

“He says to me, without any hesitation, ‘there’s three things I need you to do. The first one is, when I come to Pittsburgh, you’re going to be the only person I sleep with’,’‘ Youngblood claimed to Reid.  

“The second one is, you can’t sleep with anybody else because I don’t want to give my wife anything. And thirdly, I will take care of you the rest of your life.”  

Jakes responded by filing a defamation lawsuit against the brothers, stating that their accusations are lies meant to damage his reputation. He also said the brothers were trying to extort $6 million from him.

In response to Duane’s lawsuit, Jakes said the allegation was “not only ludicrous, it is a bald-faced lie.”

“To be clear: while I occasionally travelled to Pennsylvania around 1986 to preach at area churches that were part of the Greater Emanuel International Fellowship network, I never tried to corner, grab, or kiss any teenagers,” Jakes wrote.  

“I never phoned Duane Youngblood to proposition him for s£x in exchange for financial support. And I never groomed, s3xually abused, s3xually assaulted, and engaged in predatory conduct of a s3xual nature towards Duane Youngblood. I never apologized to Youngblood for any such conduct because it did not happen.”

Duane first spoke publicly about his allegations in October 2024, during an interview with Larry Reid. He claimed that Jakes assaulted him when he was 18 or 19 years old after a long conversation at the home of an elderly female clergywoman. Duane also alleged that Jakes later called his home and hinted at wanting a relationship.

Days after these accusations, Jakes said he received a letter from Duane’s attorney demanding $6 million to settle the matter privately. If he didn’t pay, Duane threatened to take legal action against him.

“I have reviewed the affidavits of Duane Youngblood and Richard Youngblood submitted in support of the motion to dismiss. The statements in these affidavits purport to describe situations where I harbored carnal desires for these men. These statements are knowingly and flagrantly false,” he wrote.  

“I am repulsed by these defamatory accusations and the $6 million extortion letter I received from Duane Youngblood’s attorney, Tyrone Blackburn.  

“For years, I have been counseled to ignore the constant stream of low-level smears against my reputation.  

“However, the emotional and physical toll of this coordinated campaign of lies, designed to damage my reputation and legacy, has become overwhelming.  

“The pain it has caused my wife of 43 years and my five children, whom I have always loved, nurtured, and provided for, is simply too much to bear. Every person has a breaking point. I have reached mine. I authorized this lawsuit because I can no longer remain silent.”

Jakes has denied all allegations and submitted an eight-page affidavit in response to a motion to dismiss his defamation lawsuit. He also accused Richard of filing his claims as an act of revenge after Jakes refused to offer him a job.

“He hasn’t been able to maintain a job, he has multiple children with different women, and a felony conviction for failure to pay child support. It’s difficult to respect a man who doesn’t take care of his children,” Jakes said in his affidavit.  

“In all my years, I have never initiated a lawsuit against anyone. We filed this lawsuit against individuals who were supposed to be men of God but are clearly not.”

As the legal battle continues, Jakes maintains that he has never acted inappropriately toward these men and insists that their claims are baseless.