Boy Scouts of America Reaches $850 Million Deal With 60,000 Sexual Abuse Victims

By Joshua Summers First Posted: Jul 02, 2021 04:57 AM EDT

The Boy Scouts of America have reached an $850 million agreement with some 60,000 victims of child sex abuse.

USA Today reported that the Boy Scouts of America had doubled their initial offer for the compensation to sexually abused Scouts late Thursday, July 1.

Ken Rothweiler, a lawyer representing a group of victims, said the Boy Scouts of America's $850 million settlement is the "largest settlement" of sexual abuse claims in the United States history.

Boy Scouts of America to Offer $850M Compensation

The compensation offer of the organization came after the non-profit group filed for bankruptcy. The Boy Scouts of America, based in Irving, Texas, is facing at least 275 abuse lawsuits and 1,400 potential claims.

The Boy Scouts of America sought bankruptcy protection in February 2020. According to an agreement filed in bankruptcy court on Thursday, July 1, the councils will shoulder the largest share, amounting to $600 million, the Associated Press reported.

The Boy Scouts of America called the settlement a significant step, NBC News reported.

"This agreement will help local councils make their contributions to the Trust without additional drain on their assets," the nonprofit group said in a statement.

The Boy Scouts further noted that the agreement would also allow local councils to "move forward" with the national organization "toward emergence from bankruptcy." The organization added that they are committed to working toward a "global resolution."

Rothweiler lauded the Boy Scouts of America and their local councils for stepping up to compensate the survivors. However, Paul Mones, another attorney representing survivors, said he expects the amount of the settlement to go up to over $1 billion with insurance contributions.

"What we attempted to do in this negotiation was, under the circumstances, and with all of the various competing interests, the best deal possible," Mones said.

But he added that there would never be an agreement that any survivor would be happy about. The amount proposed would provide roughly $10,000 to each claimant, which will be given at different time periods.

The Boy Scouts of America has also agreed to provide non-monetary compensation like insurance rights and protective measures in current organization programs. It also agreed to give the Settlement Trust access to all records related to abuse.

Thousands Emerge as Boy Scouts Sexual Abuse Victims

Since November in the previous year, USA Today reported that the claims of sexual abuse rose to nearly 90,000. The number made the case one of the largest sex abuse cases against a single national organization.

NBC News noted that the non-profit organization was plagued by claims of abuse since the 1960s. Rothweiler said most of his clients are in their 60s and 70s, and they alleged that the abuse happened while they were teens.

Boy Scouts said they were "devastated" by the number of people that underwent the sexual abuse yet moved by the bravery of those who rose as victims.

"We are heartbroken that we cannot undo their pain," the Boy Scouts earlier said in a statement.

Despite the number of sexual abuse victims, the Boy Scouts' leadership has insisted that scouting is "safer" in the present time than before. They added that 90 percent of the claims against the group happened more than 30 years ago.

WATCH: Can the Boy Scouts Survive a Flood of Sexual Abuse Claims? - From PBS NewsHour