Archdiocese of New Orleans raises sexual abuse settlement proposal to at least $230 million | New Orleans clergy abuse

Just like the Roman Catholic Archdiocese New Orleans start ask Victims of clergy sexual abuse approved a settlement plan to pay at least $180 million, and the church lowered its offer to at least $230 million.

The church is borrowing $50 million to increase its guaranteed amount. Survivors will now have the opportunity to seek additional payments from travelers, the largest insurer in the Archdiocese, who objected to the settlement. But guardians and local reporting partners WWL Louisiana Understand that insurance companies are contributing a sum of funds that may significantly increase the value of the settlement.

Monday’s proposal was a long-standing move by the Archdiocese to appease a large number of groups Sexual abuse victims Their attorneys recommend rejecting smaller offers in the voting process, which took place on October 29.

Several knowledgeable sources told The Guardian and its local reporting partner WWL Louisiana on Monday that $230 million will come from the Archdiocese, its branches, and smaller insurers. The deal was announced by Jeff Anderson, the plaintiff’s attorney.

Now, the deal replaces an earlier deal that requires 660 clergy abuse claimants in bankruptcy to earn at least $180 million in revenue from the second-old Catholic Archdiocese, its branches and smaller insurance companies. The earlier proposal also predicts an additional $50 million for Christopher Homes, who ends up selling a group of archbishops, assisted living facilities, a can of money offered by the latest settlement.

Attorneys representing up to 200 survivors of abuse (excluding Anderson) said it was not enough to advise their clients to reject previous deals because they thought they deserved it around $300 million. By Monday, they proposed a proposal and added $50 million in additional Archbishop funding.

Many attorneys who oppose the previous settlement proposal said they would not recommend their clients vote for settlement until the church meets the numbers they need.

For any settlement recommendations approved, two-thirds of the voter claimants must approve the revised settlement recommendation.

By filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on May 1, 2020, the Archdiocese was able to immediately dispose of hundreds of clergy abuse claims rather than faced alone. Paying a claim in one go may not be possible.

The case is noticeably excited. For example, a few days before the new settlement proposal guarantees a new lawsuit of $230 million, the lawsuit ask The judge who presided over the bankruptcy – Meredith Grabill – refused to guarantee future retirement benefits for Archbishop of New Orleans Gregory Aymond, while accusing him and a senior aide who personally covered up child sexual abuse by the pastor and deacon.

The Archdiocese responded that the allegations filed by lawyers for the plaintiff – Argent Institutional Trust Co, Argent Institutional Trust Co, the trustee of investors who purchased $41 million in church bond debt in 2017 – were unfounded.

In 2022, at the urging of the Archdiocese, Glable Being fined Attorney Richard Trahant, attorney, has $400,000 and has fired four of his clients from the committee of abuse survivors, just as the group is about to begin negotiations to reach a settlement. The reason they were fired was: Trahant took steps that led to a high school learning that the pastor was an admitted child harasser, causing the pastor to be evacuated from the campus. Grable ruled that Trahant’s actions violated the confidentiality rules of political bankruptcy.

As of Monday, Trahant filed a tax appeal. Trahant and his joint counselors have been advising their clients to reject earlier church bankruptcy settlements.

Church lawyers and survivors have admitted that their settlement negotiations have been In a way, a Catholic Archdiocese in Long Island, New York, approved guidance in a similar church bankruptcy agreement approved in January 2024.

In the deal, the Archdiocese of Rockville Center paid about $323 million for about 600 survivors of abuse.

The value of personal expenditure New Orleans According to the assessment conducted by the independent claim administrator and the trustee, it will vary.

Initially, Armond told his boss at the Catholic Church’s global headquarters in the Vatican that the Archdiocese could resolve bankruptcy for $7 million. This belief seems to stem from the fact that Louisiana law at the time violated harassment survivors who were abused long ago in pursuit of civil damage in court.

But Louisiana’s state legislature lifted the ban in 2021 and cleared the way for harassing survivors, no matter how many years of abuse they have experienced. The state’s Supreme Court upheld the Constitution in June 2024, which was about three hours west of New Orleans, despite its opposite to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lafayette.

“We recognize the courage of survivors who resist the dark forces,” said Anderson, Minnesota, a statement representing some survivors. “It is a relief, but it is far from the full satisfaction of the Archdiocese’s obligations.

“This is an opportunity for survivors to find some comfort while continuing to seek out traveler insurance claims.”