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 the 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 expected to contribute to the settlement fund. Court documents state they are required to pay at least $300 million.
Another aspect of the deal