HELENA, Mont. – A Montana Roman Catholic diocese is filing for bankruptcy protection as part of a settlement with 72 people who filed sex abuse claims.
The Diocese of Great Falls-Billings announced Friday it was filing the Chapter 11 reorganization and that the diocese and its insurance carriers would contribute to a fund to compensate victims and set aside additional money for those who have not yet come forward.
The amount of the settlement was not released.
Bishop Michael Warfel says the parameters for the settlement were reached via mediation.
The Diocese of Helena filed for bankruptcy in early 2014 to settle about 360 claims of abuse and sexual abuse by priests, nuns and lay workers who served in the diocese.
The hottest stories ripped from the headlines, from crime to courts, legal and scandal.
