New York Archdiocese Agrees to $800 Million Settlement for About 1,300 Clergy Abuse Survivors

About 1,300 survivors of clergy sexual abuse have agreed to an $800 million settlement with the Archdiocese of New York, according to attorneys for the survivors, who announced on October 24 that all claimants had agreed to the settlement plan.

The claims were filed under New York’s Child Victims Act, which changed the state’s statute of limitations on sexual crimes against children and opened a one-year window to revive past claims of any age. The agreement follows more than seven years of litigation, according to USA TODAY.

A framework for the settlement was reached in May. The settlement emerged after nearly a year of negotiations between the archdiocese and attorneys for the survivors, amid concern that a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing by the archdiocese could complicate or delay compensation, and after months in mediation.

What the settlement includes

Under the agreement, each survivor’s claim will be evaluated individually by a neutral allocator, who will decide compensation based on the nature of the abuse and the harm that resulted, according to attorneys for the survivors. Some claimants may choose a quick-pay option of $250,000 instead of taking part in the allocation process.

The agreement also includes transparency measures. Attorneys for the survivors said the archdiocese agreed to publish and maintain a list of credibly accused offenders and to disclose files related to accused clergy members that had not previously been made public.

The settlement preserves survivors’ ability to pursue claims against the church’s insurers for added compensation, and it avoids a bankruptcy filing by the Archdiocese of New York, according to attorneys for the survivors.

How it compares with other settlements

The $800 million agreement is second only to the $880 million settlement reached by the Archdiocese of Los Angeles in 2024. In June, the Archdiocese of San Francisco announced a $395 million settlement with about 530 people, and in December 2025 a federal judge approved a $230 million settlement between the Archdiocese of New Orleans and hundreds of victims, according to USA TODAY.

Attorney Jeff Anderson, who represents survivors, said in a statement: “The unanimous agreement of survivors who filed claims against the Archdiocese of New York marks a powerful moment in the pursuit of justice. Through their courage, sacrifice, and determination, survivors have helped bring about a reckoning and a meaningful step toward accountability.”

The settlement still requires procedural steps to be completed before survivors can begin receiving payments, according to USA TODAY.

Reporting based on coverage by USA TODAY.