LA County to pay $828 mln in new sexual abuse settlement
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Los Angeles County agrees to an $828 million sexual abuse settlement, months after a record $4 billion payout to thousands of victims.
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A person covers themselves from the rain during a storm on Tuesday, October 14, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP)
Six months after approving the largest sexual abuse settlement in US history, Los Angeles County has reached another massive deal, an $828 million settlement to resolve more than 400 additional sexual abuse claims against county employees, officials announced Friday.
The tentative agreement, which still requires approval by the county board of supervisors and the county claims board, follows April’s record-breaking $4 billion settlement with around 11,000 claimants alleging decades of abuse in LA’s juvenile detention and foster care systems.
County officials said the new agreement seeks to compensate victims while safeguarding taxpayer funds amid growing concerns about fraudulent claims. “Our settlements balance our obligation to compensate victims and treat their experiences with compassion, with the need to put strong protections in place to protect taxpayers from fraud,” said Kathryn Barger, chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors.
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The county is still facing roughly 2,500 unresolved cases, not covered by either settlement, with more expected. Officials admitted the financial strain has compounded an already dire fiscal situation.
Authorities have pledged that “every individual claim will be reviewed for credibility,” warning that those found to have submitted false claims “will receive no money from the settlement.”
Fraud allegations and legal scrutiny
A Los Angeles Times investigation earlier revealed that some individuals were paid to file lawsuits as part of the first $4 billion settlement. Nine plaintiffs admitted being offered money, and four later confessed to filing fraudulent claims.
The county noted that it faces serious challenges in verifying older allegations, citing decades-old records, limited court-ordered discovery, and the sheer scale of the litigation.
The lawsuits span abuse cases dating back to 1959 and were made possible by a 2020 California law that temporarily lifted the statute of limitations for survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
Officials also announced additional scrutiny of claims filed by the Downtown LA Law Group (DTLA), which represented many plaintiffs in the April settlement. Some claimants alleged that individuals outside social services offices offered them cash, between $50 and $200, to submit claims and were then directed to DTLA attorneys.
Law firm under investigation
DTLA has denied any wrongdoing, saying it “does not pay clients to file lawsuits.” The firm stated that it received 13,000 inquiries but accepted only a fraction of cases, while the county said it may refer attorneys accused of misconduct to the state bar for disciplinary action.
Officials have introduced new child protection safeguards, including a hotline for reporting abuse by county employees, expected to launch by year’s end.
However, county leaders warned that the mounting settlements could devastate public finances. “LA County and other local governments must balance their obligations to past victims with the need to avoid ruinous financial impacts that would undermine the very social safety net services our young people depend on,” said acting County Chief Executive Joe Nicchitta.
The combined $4.8 billion in payouts dwarfs the $2.6 billion Boy Scouts of America settlement in 2022, previously the largest sexual abuse settlement in US history.
