PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Pittsburgh Roman Catholic Bishop David Zubik this week got out in front of a sexual abuse allegation that was made against him.

The district attorney who investigated said there was no validity to the allegation and that he is offended by the charge.

Bishop Zubik is vigorously defending his innocence.

“I felt it was critically important for the sake of truth to speak out,” he said.

The outspoken Bishop David Zubik on the PG Sunday Edition – convinced a more aggressive approach toward false accusations will be the new approach.

“If there’s a blessing in what happened to me, it is that I can come to the defense of my brother priests who are scared out of their skins that something is going to be charged against them,” he said.

Earlier this week, a Beaver County man alleged the bishop molested him more than 30 years ago – allegations investigated by the district attorney.

“There’s no basis in law or fact to substantiate the allegation,” Beaver County District Attorney Anthony Berosh said.

The KDKA Investigators have learned there have been other false allegations.

Pittsburgh police arresting two men in the last few years for trying to extort money after making false accusations.

The latest case – Allan Joel Dunlap, a Pittsburgh man, accused of trying to extort, accused of alleging he was molested by two Pittsburgh Diocese priests, demanding money to keep quiet about it.

Dunlap allegedly drove into the parking lots of local media outlets, threatening to tell his story unless he received $8,000 cash.

“We’re there to help people who are truly victims, but we’re also not going to be an organization that anybody’s going to target, ‘This is an easy shot for money,’” Zubik said.

Three false accusation cases in three years have Bishop Zubik concerned.

“My brother priests, like myself, and my brother bishops of Pennsylvania are saying the same thing – we’re sitting targets for anybody who wants to get even for any reason whatsoever,” he said.

As for the most recent case, KDKA Investigator Marty Griffin talked to the Beaver County District Attorney.

He says he will not pursue criminal charges.

He says they looked at the possibility of pursuing a case of filing a false police statement, but the man clearly wants a platform and the DA says he will not give him that platform.

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