Archdiocese of Los Angeles Settlement: The $880 Million Abuse Deal
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On October 16, 2024, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles announced an $880 million agreement to settle 1,353 claims of childhood sexual abuse filed under California’s AB 218 revival law, the largest single settlement by a Catholic archdiocese at the time. It was reached through mediation, without bankruptcy, and the archdiocese said payments would be made in 2025 and 2026.
Facts checked September 18, 2026. Sources are listed at the end of this page.
Where the claims came from
California’s AB 218 opened a three-year window, from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2022, for childhood sexual abuse claims that had expired. Around 4,000 claims were filed against California Catholic dioceses, including about 1,900 against the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. The claims covered priests, other clergy, women religious and lay people, as well as religious order clergy serving in the archdiocese.
Several other California dioceses, including Oakland, San Francisco, Sacramento, Fresno, Santa Rosa and San Diego, responded to their AB 218 claims by filing for bankruptcy. Los Angeles settled in the state court proceedings instead.
How the settlement is funded
The archdiocese said it would pay from accumulated reserves and investments, bank financing and other assets, together with payments from religious orders and others named in the lawsuits. With earlier settlements, including a 2007 global settlement of 553 claims from California’s 2003 window, its total abuse payouts exceed $1.5 billion.
Los Angeles archdiocese settlement at a glance
| Announced | October 16, 2024 (agreement in principle through mediation) |
|---|---|
| Claims | 1,353, out of about 1,900 AB 218 claims against the archdiocese |
| Amount | $880 million |
| Funding | Reserves and investments, bank financing, other assets, and payments by religious orders and others |
| Payments | To be made in 2025 and 2026, according to the archdiocese |
| Earlier settlements | 2007 global settlement of 553 claims; total payouts now exceed $1.5 billion |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the Los Angeles archdiocese settlement?
Did the Archdiocese of Los Angeles file for bankruptcy?
When will Los Angeles archdiocese survivors be paid?
How much has the Archdiocese of Los Angeles paid in total for abuse claims?
Can I still sue the Archdiocese of Los Angeles for abuse?
Were religious order priests included in the Los Angeles settlement?
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