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.
Dem Governor’s Attempt to Frame JD Vance’s Holocaust Remembrance Day Post as Anti-Semitic Backfires
Virginia Democrats seek dozens of new tax hikes, including on dog walking and dry cleaning
FIRST ON FOX: FEMA unleashes $2.2B in disaster relief funding across 25 states: ‘Cutting red tape’
Homan Promises ‘Justice is Coming’ to Those Funding and Organizing Interference with ICE Operations in Minneapolis
Police confirm investigation into anti-ICE Virginia Commonwealth nurse who encouraged drugging agents
Wild video captures tire flying off British Airways plane moments after takeoff in Las Vegas
Breaking: Man Who Allegedly Sprayed Vinegar at Ilhan Omar Hit with Federal Charge
Anti-Gun Chuck Schumer Defends Second Amendment in Bizarre Attempt to Own Trump: ‘Shall Not Be Infringed’
Texas Gov Greg Abbott calls for CAIR to be stripped of non-profit status
Dem governor ducks question on ‘monster’ illegal alien who fractured 8-year-old’s skull with rock attack
Israel accepts Gaza Health Ministry’s estimate of 70,000 Palestinians killed during war
San Jose mayor jumps into crowded California governor’s race in a move that could help GOP
Tom Homan Makes It Clear He’s All Business in Minneapolis: ‘I Didn’t Come … for Photo-Ops and Headlines’
Fox News ‘Antisemitism Exposed’ Newsletter: Walz shocks with misguided Holocaust comparison
Snowstorm could’ve sparked grid catastrophe if Biden climate policies weren’t reversed: Energy Dept
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.
Dem Governor’s Attempt to Frame JD Vance’s Holocaust Remembrance Day Post as Anti-Semitic Backfires
Virginia Democrats seek dozens of new tax hikes, including on dog walking and dry cleaning
FIRST ON FOX: FEMA unleashes $2.2B in disaster relief funding across 25 states: ‘Cutting red tape’
Homan Promises ‘Justice is Coming’ to Those Funding and Organizing Interference with ICE Operations in Minneapolis
Police confirm investigation into anti-ICE Virginia Commonwealth nurse who encouraged drugging agents
Wild video captures tire flying off British Airways plane moments after takeoff in Las Vegas
Breaking: Man Who Allegedly Sprayed Vinegar at Ilhan Omar Hit with Federal Charge
Anti-Gun Chuck Schumer Defends Second Amendment in Bizarre Attempt to Own Trump: ‘Shall Not Be Infringed’
Texas Gov Greg Abbott calls for CAIR to be stripped of non-profit status
Dem governor ducks question on ‘monster’ illegal alien who fractured 8-year-old’s skull with rock attack
Israel accepts Gaza Health Ministry’s estimate of 70,000 Palestinians killed during war
San Jose mayor jumps into crowded California governor’s race in a move that could help GOP
Tom Homan Makes It Clear He’s All Business in Minneapolis: ‘I Didn’t Come … for Photo-Ops and Headlines’
Fox News ‘Antisemitism Exposed’ Newsletter: Walz shocks with misguided Holocaust comparison
Snowstorm could’ve sparked grid catastrophe if Biden climate policies weren’t reversed: Energy Dept
“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.
