News Summary
Los Angeles County has tentatively agreed to a significant financial settlement of $828 million for over 400 claims of childhood sexual abuse against county employees. This settlement follows a previous historic $4 billion agreement tied to nearly 11,000 claimants. With additional ongoing investigations into potential fraud, the county is under pressure to balance victim compensation while addressing unresolved abuse cases. Officials plan to introduce a hotline to report allegations as budget cuts loom across several departments.
Los Angeles is poised to handle a significant financial resolution, as the Los Angeles County has tentatively agreed to a settlement of $828 million for over 400 additional claims alleging childhood sexual abuse against county employees. This development comes just six months after the county approved an unprecedented $4 billion settlement connected to sexual abuse allegations involving approximately 11,000 claimants in county facilities over several decades.
This latest settlement is still pending approval from both the county’s board of supervisors and the county claims board. The chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors noted that these settlements aim to balance the compensation awarded to victims while simultaneously protecting taxpayers from potential fraudulent claims. Currently, the county is facing approximately 2,500 additional unresolved cases, with expectations that this number may continue to grow in the future.
The weight of these settlements is contributing significantly to the county’s existing financial problems, particularly as it recovers from the devastation caused by recent wildfires. There are also ongoing investigations investigating some allegations of fraud, which have arisen concerning the validity of certain claims. Reports indicate that nine plaintiffs from the previous $4 billion settlement disclosed they were compensated to file their allegations, with four of them admitting to submitting fraudulent claims.
The claims in question were facilitated by California’s AB 218 law, which temporarily lifted the statute of limitations for victims of childhood sexual abuse, allowing these individuals to pursue legal action for three years. As a result, the county’s ability to verify claims has been challenged, primarily due to a shortage of available records, a high volume of cases, and restrictions on legal discovery imposed by the courts.
In the previous $4 billion settlement, awards distributed to claimants varied significantly, ranging from $100,000 to $3 million, depending on the severity of the abuse claims. Similarly, the compensation received from the new proposed settlement will also depend on the severity of the allegations presented. The claims submitted by the Downtown LA Law Group, which have played a role in both settlement agreements, will undergo heightened scrutiny, especially due to ongoing allegations of potential misconduct in relation to claiming solicitations.
In response to these issues, county officials plan to introduce a hotline dedicated to reporting allegations of child sexual abuse against county employees, expected to launch by the end of the year, with the intent of enhancing protective measures and safeguards in the community.
However, the financial obligations tied to these settlements are leading to budget cuts across several county departments. Legal experts and victim advocates are expressing concern about how allegations of fraudulent claims may obscure genuine cases of abuse, thereby affecting the overall pursuit of justice for authentic victims.
In recent years, a concerning trend has emerged, as several California dioceses have declared bankruptcy due to settlements arising from AB 218. This raises alarms for other organizations aiming to navigate similar claims. In light of these developments, county officials stress the importance of legislative reforms to contend with the financial and legal challenges introduced by the recent influx of claims associated with AB 218.
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Additional Resources
- ABC7 News
- Los Angeles Times: Sex Abuse Fraud Claims
- The Guardian: Los Angeles County Sexual Abuse Settlement
- Daily Journal: LA County Reaches $828M Abuse Settlement for Juveniles
- Patch: LA County Reaches $828M Abuse Claims Settlement
- Wikipedia: Child Sexual Abuse
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Sexual Abuse
- Google Search: Los Angeles County Sexual Abuse Settlement
- Google Scholar: Los Angeles County Sexual Abuse Claims
- Google News: Los Angeles County Sexual Abuse Settlement
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The LOS ANGELES STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HERELosAngeles.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, and beyond, specializing in "news you can use" with coverage of product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates, while delivering top reporting on high-value events like the Academy Awards, LA Auto Show, and Los Angeles Marathon, extending coverage to key organizations such as the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce and the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board, plus leading businesses in entertainment and technology like Warner Bros. and SpaceX, and as part of the broader HERE network including HEREAnaheim.com , HERECostaMesa.com , HEREHuntingtonBeach.com , and HERESantaAna.com , providing comprehensive, credible insights into Southern California's dynamic landscape. HERE Anaheim HERE Beverly Hills HERE Coronado HERE Costa Mesa HERE Hollywood HERE Huntington Beach HERE Long Beach HERE Los Angeles HERE Mission Viejo HERE San Diego HERE Santa Ana
