Boy Scouts Reach $850 Million Settlement Over Sexual Abuse Claims

At least 88,000 former Scouts have come forward with claims of abuse, which led the group to declare bankruptcy last year.

The Boy Scouts of America reached an $850 million settlement with tens of thousands of former Scouts who claim they were sexually abused while in the organization, a major step toward resolving a bevy of lawsuits that led to the organization’s bankruptcy last year. Ken Rothweiler, an attorney who represents 16,800 men, said he was pleased with the settlement and noted it may be just the first phase of a legal effort that could ultimately lead to billions of dollars in additional settlements or judgments. “This initial settlement of $850 million ... is the largest settlement of child sexual abuse claims in United States history,” Rothweiler said in a statement. “We will now negotiate with the 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.”