NEW HAVEN (CT)
New Haven Register
February 11, 2019
By Bill Cummings
About 133 victims of sexual abuse at a Haitian boys school affiliated with Fairfield University and other religious groups are a step closer to receiving $250,000 each — or $61 million in total — for their suffering.
U.S. District Judge Robert Chatigny on Monday accepted a negotiated settlement with the university and other groups for payment to the victims. A final settlement is expected to be approved this spring.
The agreement consolidates dozens of lawsuits into one class action suit that creates a $60 million fund to help 133 victims and a $1.2 million fund to administer payments.
“I have no doubt that I should grant preliminary approval,” Judge Chatigny said. “I have studied the papers and, apart from some minor suggestions, I have nothing to say but you have done an admirable job.”
Both sides — a team of lawyers representing the victims and a team representing Fairfield University and other organizations — presented the agreement to the judge, saying it represented months of work and negotiation.
The lawyers said a system to vet additional claims by victims is included in the settlement and initial payouts of up to $10,000 will quickly go out to already vetted victims.
The final settlement amount will depend on whether additional victims are certified and court and legal costs, they said.
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