New Mexico Catholic Church to pay over $ 120 million to victims of sexual violence
The Archdiocese of Santa Fe, New Mexico, has reached an interim agreement for $ 121,5 million on claims by victims of sexual violence committed by Catholic priests.
It is one of the largest sums under a sexual assault deal in the Roman Catholic Church in the United States. The money will be used to pay compensation to victims in parishes in the north of the country, according to a letter from the archdiocese to the faithful.
"The agreement covers more than 350 victims and the proven deeds of 74 priests," said Brian Smith, a lawyer for nearly a third of the plaintiffs.
Most sexual assaults occurred more than four decades ago. Last month, the Diocese of Camden, New Jersey, agreed to pay a total of $ 87,5 million to settle out-of-court settlements of 300 victims of sexual abuse by Catholic priests, local media reported at the time.