Los Angeles County officials announced Friday a tentative $4 billion agreement to settle approximately 6,800 claims of sexual abuse in juvenile facilities dating back to 1959, marking the largest settlement of its kind in U.S. history.
The proposed settlement, which requires approval from both the LA County Claims Board and the Board of Supervisors, surpasses a record $2.6 billion payout made by the Boy Scouts of America in 2022.
“On behalf of the County, I apologize wholeheartedly to everyone who was harmed by these reprehensible acts,” said County Chief Executive Officer Fesia Davenport in a statement released Friday.
The claims became possible through California legislation that took effect in 2020, temporarily suspending the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse victims for a three-year period….