JOHNSTOWN (PA)
The Tribune-Democrat
November 14, 2018
By Dave Sutor
A Westmont resident is one of six named plaintiffs in a federal class action civil suit filed Tuesday against the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and the Holy See.
Shaun Dougherty, an alleged victim of childhood sexual abuse at the hands of a priest within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown, has joined the lawsuit that is about the alleged “endemic, systemic, rampant, and pervasive rape and sexual abuse of Plaintiffs and Class Members” perpetrated by cardinals, bishops, monsignors, priests, sisters, lay leaders and members of church orders, according to the document, obtained late Tuesday by The Tribune-Democrat.
Plaintiffs also argue that the alleged abuse and coverup constitutes a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act case, because multiple alleged violations involved the federal mail and wire fraud.
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