Isophoric News · Tuesday, October 27, 2026
New York archdiocese and clergy abuse claimants agree to $800 million settlement, not yet signed
The Archdiocese of New York and attorneys for about 1,300 people who say they were sexually abused by clergy agreed to an $800 million settlement of their claims, according to the Associated Press (carried by PBS and ABC News) and NPR. Archbishop Ronald Hicks confirmed the settlement in an email to clergy on Saturday, saying it would not be final until signed, with signing scheduled for the week of Nov. 6, the AP reported. The AP called it the second-largest settlement of its kind by a Catholic archdiocese in the U.S., after Los Angeles's $880 million in 2024; NPR called it one of the largest. Attorney Jeff Anderson said all plaintiffs had agreed, according to NPR. The outlets differ on how many claimants his firm represents: the AP quoted him as representing people who filed more than 1,000 of the claims, while NPR reported his firm represents more than 250 of the plaintiffs. NPR reported that the archdiocese said in December 2025 that it had laid off staff and planned to sell some Manhattan properties to raise $300 million toward payments.