New York Archdiocese agrees to historic $300M settlement for sexual abuse victims

Facing the challenge of lawsuits from 1,300 individuals alleging sexual abuse, the New York Catholic Archdiocese sought to reach a settlement with the victims.

According to Reuters, the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York announced that it has reached an agreement to pay compensation to 1,300 plaintiffs in sexual abuse cases. This settlement is expected to become one of the largest church payouts in U.S. history.

Similar cases against the Catholic Church in the U.S. have resulted in billions of dollars in compensation, as it has been revealed that church staff sexually abused children for decades.

An attorney representing about 300 of the 1,311 plaintiffs—whose claims span from 1952 to 2020—stated that, as a lawsuit against the New York Archdiocese is scheduled to go to court next year, the Archdiocese has agreed to negotiate a settlement within the next two months.

He added that the settlement must include full disclosure of past abuses and measures to prevent future misconduct.

The New York Archdiocese, in announcing the news, acknowledged the “darkness” of its past and expressed hope to reach a global settlement that provides the maximum financial compensation to survivors.

The Archdiocese stated that it has reduced staff, cut costs, and listed real estate assets for sale in hopes of raising $300 million for victims.

In an open letter, the Cardinal of the New York Archdiocese wrote: “As we have repeatedly acknowledged, sexual abuse of minors has long been a source of shame for our Church.”

A payout of $300 million would rank as one of the largest settlements ever made by a U.S. archdiocese.

The plaintiffs’ attorney noted that the total amount could surpass the $880 million record set by the Los Angeles Archdiocese in 2024 for a similar number of claimants. The settlement was mediated by Daniel Buckley, retired judge of the Los Angeles County Superior Court, who will also mediate the New York case.

According to the plaintiffs’ attorney, the time for resolution has arrived and should have been addressed long ago.

The New York Catholic Church said its efforts to compensate victims have been complicated by ongoing legal disputes with Chubb insurance companies, which have refused to pay claims under policies the Church had held for decades prior to 2000.

The insurance company, in turn, accused the Archdiocese of covering up sexual abuse of children for decades and demanded greater transparency.