The other four suits filed against Long include accusations that he used his power and influence to coerce sex from young men in his care. The latest lawsuit only names Long and doesn't name his church, New Birth Missionary Baptist.
"I am unaware of the lawsuit that you referenced and have no comment about it at this time," Eddie Long spokesman Art Franklin told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
The latest lawsuit goes back three years, when Long and two partners bought a gym. They signed a contract to purchase Hoops N' Fitness for $643,556, plus $223,000 in interest, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The person who sold the property eventually sued, stating that Long and his partners never paid the amount owed.
This latest lawsuit reflects an important thing that's been overlooked since the start of the Bishop Eddie Long sex scandal. He certainly is taking a hit to his previously stellar public image, and he is also being accused of being hypocritical. But the greatest problem for Bishop Long is that he may end up paying huge financial consequences for his alleged indiscretions.
Not only is there the huge risk that Long will end up paying millions to deal with the lawsuits, but there is also the question of whether he used foundation money to engage in sexual pursuits. If you run a nonprofit organization and receive grants from the federal government (which I assume Long did, given that he was politically cozy with George W. Bush and his faith-based funding initiatives), you are held accountable for how those funds are used. So, if Long took young men on trips or bought them gifts using funds from one of his nonprofit organizations, he could be in serious trouble. When I say "trouble," I am referring to time in the penitentiary.
The problems keep piling up for Long. If there were ever a time when a man truly needed Jesus, this might be it. I have a feeling though that by the time this is over, there is going to be a great deal more information unearthed. If it is half as brutal as what we've seen over the past month, it will change the black church forever.
Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce's commentary delivered to your e-mail, please click here.