Boy Scouts Of America Reaches Historic Settlement With Sexual Abuse Survivors
The Boy Scouts of America has reached an $850 million settlement with more than 60,000 men who sued the iconic institution over alleged sexual abuse by adults in scouting over several decades.
The agreement, announced on Thursday, is the first legal settlement in a long list of lawsuits against the Boy Scouts, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February 2020.
Ken Rothweiler, one of three lead negotiators on behalf of men who say they were raped, molested or sexually harassed as children, called it historic.
In an emailed statement he called the deal "the largest settlement of sexual abuse claims in United States history."
It is more than double the group's initial proposal to victims.
Under the terms of the agreement, local councils are also expected to contribute. Court documents state they are required to pay at least $300 million.
Another aspect of the deal requires non-monetary commitments to abuse victims, including youth protection measures, reporting, formation of a Child Protection Committee, and information sharing related to abuse claims.
Rothweiler and his law firm represent than 16,000 alleged victims of abuse — much of which was chronicled and recorded in an internal list of leaders preying on boys called the "perversion files" dating back to the 1940s.
"I am pleased that both the BSA and their local councils have stepped up to be the first to compensate the survivors," Rothweiler said.
The next step, he said, is negotiating with the BSA's insurers "and sponsoring and chartering organizations who have billions of dollars in legal exposure, of which a substantial portion is necessary to fairly compensate the survivors."
The group's total assets top $1 billion and including massive tracts of land around the country, extensive holdings and financial investments as well as fine art.
The Boy Scouts did not immediately respond to NPR's requests for comment.
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