The Archdiocese of New York has agreed to a nearly $1 billion settlement for victims of clergy abuse, one of the largest abuse settlements in U.S. Church history that comes after more than half a decade of litigation. <\/p>\n
The New York-based law firm Jeff Anderson & Associates said in a press release on May 1 that the archdiocese had agreed with an abuse victims’ committee to recommend a settlement of $800 million, which would be paid \u201cinto a trust for approximately 1,300 survivors who have brought sexual abuse claims\u201d under the state\u02bcs Child Victims Act. <\/p>\n
The proposal will still be subject to \u201cfull survivor agreement\u201d before it can be finalized, the law firm said. <\/p>\n
The firm said the amount, if confirmed, would be paid in two installments of $615 million and $185 million within 15 months. <\/p>\n
The archdiocese, meanwhile, will be required \u201cto maintain their list of credibly accused clergy on their website and continue to update it with any new, substantiated abuse claims.\u201d <\/p>\n
The agreement also would result in a \u201ctemporary stoppage\u201d of litigation against the diocese regarding alleged abuse.<\/p>\n
Attorney Jeff Anderson described the proposal as \u201ca transcendent triumph of courage by the survivors who have endured so much for so long.\u201d <\/p>\n
\u201cIt is far from full accountability, but it is a measure of responsibility and required transparency by the archdiocese that also requires the release of documents pertaining to sexual offenders,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n
In a statement on May 1<\/a>, meanwhile, New York Archbishop Ronald Hicks said he was \u201ccautiously optimistic\u201d about the proposal.<\/p>\n \u201cIt cannot be denied that this has been a painful process \u2014 most significantly so for the victim-survivors and their families and loved ones who have suffered, in most cases, for decades,\u201d the prelate said. <\/p>\n \u201cI pray that all of us, as the family of God, will come together to support and affirm these individuals and take these next steps to bring about some healing and peace,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n The nearly $1 billion payout would be among the largest in U.S. Church history. In October 2024 the Archdiocese of Los Angeles agreed to a slightly larger $880 million settlement.<\/a><\/p>\n The New York proposal, meanwhile, is considerably larger than an earlier reported proposed settlement of $300 million the diocese was said to be considering in December 2025.<\/a> <\/p>\n Cardinal Timothy Dolan said at the time that the archdiocese had made \u201ca series of very difficult financial decisions\u201d to help fund the settlement, including staff layoffs and a 10% reduction in the archdiocese\u02bcs operating budget.<\/p>\n The New York Archdiocese also has been engaged in a bitter dispute with its longtime insurer Chubb over payouts to victims. In February of this year, the archdiocese accused Chubb of running a \u201cshadow campaign\u201d against it <\/a>by posing as a victims’ rights group.<\/p>\n