Boy Scouts of America files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, proposes abuse victim fund


The Boy Scouts of America announced early Tuesday that it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, saying its goals are twofold: "Equitably compensate victims who were harmed during their time in scouting and continue carrying out its mission for years to come." BSA noted that local scouting councils are legally separate, distinct, and financially independent from the national organization," and will not be directly affected by the bankruptcy reorganization.
As part of the bankruptcy process, BSA said, it proposes to "create a Victims Compensation Trust that would provide equitable compensation to victims" of sexual and other abuse by scout leaders and volunteers. "The BSA cares deeply about all victims of abuse and sincerely apologizes to anyone who was harmed during their time in scouting," BSA President and CEO Roger Mosby said in a statement. "We are outraged that there have been times when individuals took advantage of our programs to harm innocent children." BSA created a new site, BSA Restructuring, to answer questions and link to resources for abuse victims.
"The BSA firmly believes that a proposed Victims Compensation Trust structure is the best means of compensating victims in a way that is equitable and protects their identities," the organization said, adding that it "encourages victims to come forward to file a claim as the bankruptcy process moves forward and will provide clear and comprehensive notices about how to do so."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Eighty years after Hiroshima: how close is nuclear conflict?
Today's Big Question Eight decades on from the first atomic bomb 'we have blundered into a new age of nuclear perils'
-
Valle dell'Erica Thalasso & Spa: a tranquil haven in Sardinia
The Week Recommends This family-friendly resort is steps from the sea and boasts a well-equipped kids' club
-
America's controversial path to the atomic bomb
In Depth The bombing of Hiroshima followed years of escalation by the U.S., but was it necessary?
-
Samsung to make Tesla chips in $16.5B deal
Speed Read Tesla has signed a deal to get its next-generation chips from Samsung
-
FCC greenlights $8B Paramount-Skydance merger
Speed Read The Federal Communications Commission will allow Paramount to merge with the Hollywood studio Skydance
-
Tesla reports plummeting profits
Speed Read The company may soon face more problems with the expiration of federal electric vehicle tax credits
-
Dollar faces historic slump as stocks hit new high
Speed Read While stocks have recovered post-Trump tariffs, the dollar has weakened more than 10% this year
-
Economists fear US inflation data less reliable
speed read The Labor Department is collecting less data for its consumer price index due to staffing shortages
-
Crypto firm Coinbase hacked, faces SEC scrutiny
Speed Read The Securities and Exchange Commission has also been investigating whether Coinbase misstated its user numbers in past disclosures
-
Starbucks baristas strike over dress code
speed read The new uniform 'puts the burden on baristas' to buy new clothes, said a Starbucks Workers United union delegate
-
Warren Buffet announces surprise retirement
speed read At the annual meeting of Berkshire Hathaway, the billionaire investor named Vice Chairman Greg Abel his replacement