The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) has sought bankruptcy protection in a move the group says will allow it to build a compensation fund for sex abuse victims and address hundreds of outstanding claims for redress.
The move follows a number of lawsuits filed against the organisation over claims of sexual abuse, alleging it failed to prevent hundreds of cases dating back over decades.
Most of the newly surfacing cases date to the 1960s, ’70s and ’80s; the organisation says there were only five known abuse victims in 2018.
All civil lawsuits against it are now on hold as a result of the bankruptcy application as the group is struggling with declining membership as well as the abuse claims.
“The BSA cares deeply about all victims of abuse and sincerely apologises to anyone who was harmed during their time in scouting. We are outraged that there have been times when individuals took advantage of our programs to harm innocent children,” chief executive Roger Mosby said in a statement.
Court papers filed in Delaware listed liabilities of up to $1bn and assets of as much as $10bn, reports say.
Older Drivers Could Be Forced to Take Road Test Again for License Renewal in Key Swing State
Watch: Punk Thinks He Can Steal from Tip Jar While Owner’s Back Is Turned – Has No Idea the Internet’s Watching Live and Nailed Him Immediately
One of America’s prettiest cities scrambles to reclaim storybook streets from homeless camps, drug dens
British Actor Who Mocked Christianity Receives Scorn for Mourning Rise of Islam
Child of Chinese illegal immigrants charged with planting explosive at US military base
Hegseth’s Prayer Service Targeted by 2 Lawsuits over So-Called ‘White Christian Power Structures’
Alcatraz could reopen as a ‘state-of-the-art secure prison’ under Trump’s $152M budget request
Artist fumes after tribute honoring slain Iryna Zarutska gets scrubbed amid woke blowback
Son of Republican megadonor throws hat in the ring for open at-large House seat in Wyoming
Jillian Michaels Shreds Dems Sowing Chaos with Fearmongering Over ICE at Airports
Even the Liberal Justices Are Baffled by Kentanji Brown Jackson’s Dissent in ‘Textbook’ Free Speech Case
Mike Rowe doubles down after blasting Kimmel’s ‘tone-deaf’ plumber jokes
Iran signals manpower crisis with soldiers as young as 12, volunteer recruitment campaign
Trump says ‘America needs God’ in Good Friday message touting ‘resurgence of religion’
Watch: DEI-Obsessed Sky News Reporter Claims Moon Landings by ‘All White Men’ Didn’t Represent Humanity
Among the matters to be addressed in the bankruptcy court are the fate of the Boy Scouts’ assets; the extent to which the organisation’s insurance will help cover compensation; and whether assets of the Scouts’ 261 local councils will be added to the fund.
As Breitbart News reported, the Boy Scouts of America first mooted filing for bankruptcy back in 2018.
On that occasion leadership of the youth organization hired the law firm Sidley Austin LLP to explore a wide range of options, including petitioning for relief under Chapter 11.
Legal experts noted then that filing for bankruptcy would “stave off” at least 140 lawsuits filed against the organization alleging misconduct by scoutmasters.
The Boys Scouts of America has undertaken rebranding efforts since, with the nonprofit renaming itself “Scouts BSA” in 2019.
In May last year, BSA announced girls will be allowed to join the group in the future. “We wanted to land on something that evokes the past but also conveys the inclusive nature of the program going forward,” Surbaugh said at the time of the announcement.
Older Drivers Could Be Forced to Take Road Test Again for License Renewal in Key Swing State
Watch: Punk Thinks He Can Steal from Tip Jar While Owner’s Back Is Turned – Has No Idea the Internet’s Watching Live and Nailed Him Immediately
One of America’s prettiest cities scrambles to reclaim storybook streets from homeless camps, drug dens
British Actor Who Mocked Christianity Receives Scorn for Mourning Rise of Islam
Child of Chinese illegal immigrants charged with planting explosive at US military base
Hegseth’s Prayer Service Targeted by 2 Lawsuits over So-Called ‘White Christian Power Structures’
Alcatraz could reopen as a ‘state-of-the-art secure prison’ under Trump’s $152M budget request
Artist fumes after tribute honoring slain Iryna Zarutska gets scrubbed amid woke blowback
Son of Republican megadonor throws hat in the ring for open at-large House seat in Wyoming
Jillian Michaels Shreds Dems Sowing Chaos with Fearmongering Over ICE at Airports
Even the Liberal Justices Are Baffled by Kentanji Brown Jackson’s Dissent in ‘Textbook’ Free Speech Case
Mike Rowe doubles down after blasting Kimmel’s ‘tone-deaf’ plumber jokes
Iran signals manpower crisis with soldiers as young as 12, volunteer recruitment campaign
Trump says ‘America needs God’ in Good Friday message touting ‘resurgence of religion’
Watch: DEI-Obsessed Sky News Reporter Claims Moon Landings by ‘All White Men’ Didn’t Represent Humanity
“We’re trying to find the right way to say we’re here for both young men and young women.”
In the 14 months since then, the youth organization has allowed children who identify as girls to join the Scouts, a controversial move that was seen by some, including Girl Scouts of the USA President Kathy Hopinkah Hannan, as an attempt to raise their diminished enrollment numbers.
The 100-year-old organization could now be forced to sell off some of its vast property holdings to raise money for a compensation fund that could surpass $1 billion.
Story cited here.
