Multi-million dollar settlement in clergy child sex abuse scandal

SANTA BARBARA, Calif (KEYT) - The Franciscan Friars of California has agreed to pay a $20 million dollar settlement to dozens of survivors of clergy child sex abuse, with some cases dating back to the 1940's. 

Tim Hale, a Santa Barbara attorney with Nye, Stirling, Hale, Miller & Sweet, currently represents nine of the survivors.

"It's a very positive step in the right direction toward solving this bankruptcy and the claims of the 95 survivors who found the courage to come forward but, it's nowhere near a final resolution," said Hale.

He said cases involving clergy abuse span parishes and churches throughout the county, from Santa Maria to Carpinteria. Most of the accused friars have died. Hale says more than half of the claims "arose in Santa Barbara."

He did not know the exact number of local perpetrators.

"We've identified over 30 who were assigned in residence at the Mission and St. Anthony's in the 60's and the 90's. There are 95 survivors who are part of this. This part of the settlement is $20 million dollars and it's being paid for by entities that the Franciscans claim are separate from the Franciscan organization such as the Old Mission Santa Barbara, the Serra Retreat in Malibu."

Hale said his team has "connected the dots" and found the entities are not separate. He linked this latest move by the Franciscans to a previous 2006 settlement with survivors, a 2023 bankruptcy filing and, the transfer of assets from the main organization.

"$20 million to compensate 95 people who've been through such horrors would just be grossly insufficient," said Hale. "There's still a lot of work to be done with regards to determining the actual assets of the Franciscans."