A day after former B2K manager Chris Stokes vehemently denied
allegations that he sexually molested former members of the boy band
while serving as their manager, his accuser, former B2K member DeMario
"Raz-B" Thornton, has apologized. In a 30-second video posted on
YouTube on Wednesday, Thornton stands outside on a city street and
recants the sordid accusations he and older brother Ricardo "Ricky
Romantic" Thornton had made in a pair of videos that circulated over
the weekend.
"This is DeMario Thornton, publicly known as Raz-B of B2K," a
solemn-looking Thornton tells the camera in the video, called "The
Truth About Chris Stokes B2K Part 3." "I would like to send a public
apology for some tapes that were leaked without my authority. I just
want to say that those allegations are not true ... with Chris Stokes
and Marques Houston, and I apologize for any hurt this may have caused
publicly [or] financially."
Stokes reacted to the new video in a statement released Thursday
(December 27) morning. "I'm happy that DeMario 'Raz-B' Thornton and
Ricardo Thornton realized their mistakes and admitted to lying," he
said. "I have always supported my family and have always been a
stand-up person. I knew that the truth would eventually come to light."
Thornton's abrupt turn-around came just hours after Stokes told MTV
News that the allegations were false. His denials were seconded by
another former B2K member, Omarion.
"I'm not gay. And I'm married. And I have four kids. I been with my wife for 16 years," Stokes told MTV in an exclusive interview. "And I'm not a child molester. So those are all false allegations. I'm gonna sue them. And I owe that to my wife and kids, period. It's ridiculous."