In unprecedented payout, L.A. County will settle sex abuse claims for $4 billion

Los Angeles Times ^ | April 4, 2025 | Updated 3:24 PM PT | Rebecca Ellis

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Los Angeles County plans to pay $4 billion to settle nearly 7,000 claims of childhood sexual abuse that allegedly occurred inside its juvenile facilities and foster homes, dwarfing the largest sex abuse settlements in U.S. history.

The mammoth settlement, which still needs to be approved by both the county claims board and county supervisors, is a billion dollars more than what county officials had anticipated as the worst-case scenario to resolve a flurry of lawsuits — and far more than other organizations notorious for allowing unchecked sex abuse have paid victims.

The Boy Scouts of America, by comparison, agreed to pay $2.46 billion. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles has paid out about $1.5 billion for alleged abuse at the hands of Catholic priests. Victims of USC gynecologist George Tyndall got $1.1 billion. Michigan State University paid $500 million to victims of team doctor Larry Nassar.

“This is the largest sex abuse settlement in history,” said Adam Slater, a lead attorney in both the L.A. County and Boy Scouts settlements.

The unprecedented settlement arose from Assembly Bill 218, a 2020 state law that gave victims of childhood sexual abuse a new window to sue, even though the statute of limitations had expired.

Many California counties, which are responsible for the care of children in foster homes and juvenile halls, saw an uptick in lawsuits. For L.A. County, it was a deluge that still hasn’t stopped.

Thousands of men and women came forward to say they had been molested or raped by probation officials decades ago while incarcerated as children in the county’s sprawling network of juvenile halls and camps.

Thousands more alleged sexual abuse at the now-shuttered MacLaren Children’s Center, a county-run home for foster children...

[E. Pluribus Unum]

$571K each.

[Texas Eagle]

No arrests???

[Red Badger]

The lawyers will get most of it. The victims will get pennies on the dollar................

[quantim]

Hey Newsome, choke on it.

[Texas Eagle]

Did you already deduct for the attorney fees? Still a healthy chunk of money but is it coming out of the pockets of the perpetrators or the taxpayers?

No need to answer. It's a rhetorical question.

[monkeyshine]

$4 billion!?!

And what’s gonna change? The county will vet foster parents better? Send out more inspectors?

I can’t wait to see how much the LA Unified School District will end up paying. Should take it from the California Employees Pension.

[exPBRrat]

Well that is just ridiculous.

[know.your.why]

This one in my neighborhood...

https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/judge-oks-archdiocese-of-santa-fe-settlement-of-121-million-in-clergy-abuse-cases/article_6e72f300-8796-11ed-850e-cf4987b34edf.html

[rellic]

Won’t be enough for the damage done to the kids.
Fix?
Fire every Democrat and RINO immediately.
Allow un-restricted and un-biased investigations of all
complaints.
Once you have a solid no question case “Not a he said she said” then nail the person to wall and shoot.
Cops should be scared to interact with us.
If I drive 5mph over an arbitrary speed limit,
I don’t want to be compared to a Felon.
We broke laws, true, Magnitude of an infraction has to be included, Cops should be held responsible for their decisions.
They are not!

[lurk]

LA has trillions in their fire dept account; they can take it from there.

[Professional]

Lemme guess. Billions paid out with zero arrests?

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Lemme guess. Billions paid out with zero arrests?

It's California. Perps are probably getting a cut of the loot too.

[RetiredTexasVet]

“No one is above the law” ... just a comic line from a California politician/comic.

[sport]

Bull Shit! Hillary Clinton is above the Law.

[FreedomNotSafety]

Many are past the statute of limitations. It’s sad but the county has an obligation to follow the law and not allow “sue and settle”. This sounds like an excuse to fleece the taxpayers, buy votes, and feel good. While funneling big chunk of money to trial lawyers who will feed the Dems.

[E. Pluribus Unum]

While funneling big chunk of money to trial lawyers who will feed the Dems.

By Jove! I think you've got it!

[Governor Dinwiddie]

Here's how California finances work:

Any shortfall is paid for by the feds by transferring funds between Federally funded "po'grums".

HUD makes payments to California. This goes into California general fund. 4 billion dollar settlement — California writes check from general fund.

This is why California absolutely LOVES disasters, because all the Federal aid gets shifted around and commingled to a myriad of programs.

[Jeff Chandler]

If only juvenile facility workers and foster home parents were allowed to get married . . .

[sopo]

and feed taxpayer dollars right into Dem lawfare