Dec 26, 2019

Pennsylvania dioceses have paid $84 million to 564 abuse victims

Fadel Allassan

A priest walks down the corridors of church pews. — Photo: Jeff Swensen/Getty Images

The Catholic Church's Pennsylvania dioceses have paid almost $84 million to 564 sexual abuse victims, according to an AP review.

The backdrop: In 2018, a 1,400-page report by the Pennsylvania attorney general detailed the egregious abuse of children by the state's Catholic clergy, as well as the strategies by which the Church was able to cover up the shocking allegations for years.

The big picture: The total payout is likely to grow significantly in 2020 as administrators work through numerous claims that have yet to be handled, with the money flowing from independently administered victims compensation funds set up in seven of the state's eight dioceses.

Two administrators who oversee the distribution of money in five compensation funds have gone through 500 of 1,500 claims filed.
Of those 500 claims, 391 victims have taken settlements, while 41 have been rejected for insufficient evidence.

Go deeper: Grand jury’s horrifying Catholic coverup report

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Pennsylvania dioceses have paid $84 million to 564 abuse victims

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