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.
Watch: El-Sayed Supporters Celebrate Win with a Chant That Reveals Their True Priorities
Republican AGs stand ready as ‘last line of defense’ against leftist policies after dismal midterms for party
Watch: CNN Anchor Slips Up and Makes a Telling Admission While Gleefully Reporting Midterm Results
White House official details what gets Trump’s attention in intelligence briefings
Where Democrats could use their landslide victories to redistrict
Republicans turn on Trump after devastating midterm losses hand Democrats control of Congress
WATCH: Bodycam captures chaotic response to deadly Citibank shooting in Florida
Three executions scheduled across US on same day for second time this year
Ted Cruz says ‘blue tsunami’ took over Texas after Democrats swept statewide races
Republicans, Take Note: Ballot Measure Success in Face of Blue Wave Shows Voters Still Want Conservative Policies
JD Vance Says ‘Everyone Knows Why We Lost’ in Fiery Post-Election Message
New Jersey pre-K aide faces 61 charges, accused of filming himself sexually assaulting students at school
Grocery store cyberattacks are ‘psychological warfare’ that could strike US, former FBI agent warns
See for Yourself: As El-Sayed Was Securing Win, Advisor Hasan Piker Filmed His Most Hateful Anti-American Comments Ever
Erika Kirk channels Charlie with blunt message to conservatives after GOP midterm losses
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.
Watch: El-Sayed Supporters Celebrate Win with a Chant That Reveals Their True Priorities
Republican AGs stand ready as ‘last line of defense’ against leftist policies after dismal midterms for party
Watch: CNN Anchor Slips Up and Makes a Telling Admission While Gleefully Reporting Midterm Results
White House official details what gets Trump’s attention in intelligence briefings
Where Democrats could use their landslide victories to redistrict
Republicans turn on Trump after devastating midterm losses hand Democrats control of Congress
WATCH: Bodycam captures chaotic response to deadly Citibank shooting in Florida
Three executions scheduled across US on same day for second time this year
Ted Cruz says ‘blue tsunami’ took over Texas after Democrats swept statewide races
Republicans, Take Note: Ballot Measure Success in Face of Blue Wave Shows Voters Still Want Conservative Policies
JD Vance Says ‘Everyone Knows Why We Lost’ in Fiery Post-Election Message
New Jersey pre-K aide faces 61 charges, accused of filming himself sexually assaulting students at school
Grocery store cyberattacks are ‘psychological warfare’ that could strike US, former FBI agent warns
See for Yourself: As El-Sayed Was Securing Win, Advisor Hasan Piker Filmed His Most Hateful Anti-American Comments Ever
Erika Kirk channels Charlie with blunt message to conservatives after GOP midterm losses
“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.
