Methodists to join in Scout abuse case
Congregations affiliated with the United Methodist Church have agreed to contribute $30 million to a fund for victims who say they were molested as youngsters in the Boy Scouts of America, an attorney said Tuesday.
A committee representing United Methodist churches that sponsored Scouting activities also agreed to help raise an additional $100 million for the fund.
Jessica Lauria, an attorney for the BSA, told Judge Laurie Selber Silverstein about the planned agreement during an online hearing Tuesday in federal bankruptcy court in Delaware. Lauria said the United Methodist-affiliated churches would be released from further liability for abuse claims.
The proposed trust is expected to grow to more than $2.6 billion and would be the largest sexual abuse settlement in U.S. history.
More than 82,000 sexual abuse claims have been filed in the bankruptcy case. Victims who say they were abused must vote by Dec. 28 on a Boy Scouts reorganization plan.
Tuesday’s announcement involving United Methodist churches comes a week after attorneys said a tentative settlement was reached with one of BSA’s largest insurers, Century Indemnity Co. and affiliated companies had agreed to contribute $800 million into the fund in return for being released from further liability for abuse claims.
Other agreements involve another major Boy Scouts insurer, The Hartford, and the BSA’s former largest troop sponsor, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly known as the Mormon church.
The Boy Scouts are based in Irving, Texas..