Men file false sex abuse claims against ex-priest in racketeering scheme, IL suit says
By Natalie Demaree, Miami Herald
Updated March 27, 2025 5:38 PM|
The Archdiocese of Chicago filed a lawsuit March 24 accusing a group of men of submitting dozens of fake sex abuse claims for settlement payments worth millions of dollars.
A Catholic archdiocese has filed a lawsuit accusing a group of men of submitting dozens of false sex abuse claims against a defrocked priest to get millions in settlement payments.
“I got to get on the money train,” a man said during a phone call in state prison in 2013 to an unnamed man involved in the scheme, according to the lawsuit. He also asked the man how much money he got from a settlement payment from the archdiocese, the suit said.
The 38-page lawsuit, filed by the Archdiocese of Chicago on March 24, cites more recorded phone conversations between different men talking about how “easy” it would be to bring claims against the Catholic Church.
The men are all referred to as John Does in accordance with court orders. Associated by gang affiliation, friendship or family, the web of men was recruited, bribed, paid and coached on how to successfully pursue false claims of sex abuse in exchange for a part in the anticipated settlement, according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit says the false claims have diverted “resources devoted to real victims” and reduced the ability to “expeditiously resolve claims by real victims.”
“We trust and believe people when they come forward with abuse claims,” James Geoly, general counsel for the archdiocese, said in a news release. “These individuals have violated that trust and have attempted to take advantage of it.”
Illinois has a grim history of child sex abuse by members of the Catholic clergy. In May 2023, Attorney General Kwame Raoul published a 696-page report, which found that over about seven decades, at least 1,997 children have been abused by 451 Catholic clerics and religious brothers across the state’s dioceses.
This may be a relatively small number of priestly perverts for 7 decades in Illinois, but it is still a large number. Too large! About 451 too large for God's economy. And I would be surprised if it's more than half of the real number, a number that God Himself is acutely aware of.
Jehovah's Witness Man Gets up to 30 Years in Prison for Repeated Sexual Abuse of 2 Children
An Allegheny County man will serve 12 to 30 years in state prison for repeated sexual abuse of two children, between 2004 and 2006.
Marc Brown, 67, was sentenced in Allegheny County Court after pleading guilty to felony counts of involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, aggravated indecent assault, endangering the welfare of children, and related misdemeanors.
The Office of Attorney General charges stem from the 49th Statewide Investigating Grand Jury, which heard testimony about several Jehovah’s Witnesses members who sexually assaulted children.
Brown was a member of the congregation when he assaulted the children — with whom he was closely acquainted — dozens of times.
“This defendant ultimately could not escape accountability for heinous conduct perpetrated years ago, thanks to the hard work of investigators and the grand jurors, and the bravery of the survivors,” Attorney General Sunday said. “This significant period of incarceration is appropriate for someone who repeatedly harms children.”
The grand jurors heard testimony that Brown groped the children, watched them shower, and would sneak into a bedroom at night to assault them.
Justin Welby admits he got it wrong and let God down
Justin Welby has he admitted he 'got it wrong' when handling child sex abuse allegations against John Smyth.
But the former Archbishop of Canterbury has defended his record after a report revealed he did not adequately follow up on reports on Smyth, a barrister who was prolifically involved in the Church of England.
Smyth subjected more than 100 boys and young men to 'traumatic physical, sexual, psychological and spiritual attacks' over the course of five decades and died without being brought to justice. But his abuse had been an open secret among the clergy.
Welby now admits he got it wrong when he failed to act on allegations that were presented to him - but claims he was simply overwhelmed by the scale of the abuse Smyth was later found to have perpetuated.
So, it seems Welby thinks that a lesser amount of child abuse wasn't a big problem. Only when the numbers exceeded one hundred did it become a serious problem. Had he handled the issue when he thought the numbers were small, he might have saved dozens of boys the horrors of their lives. But he didn't. And he doesn't seem terribly bothered by it.
However, he has been heavily criticised for his seemingly blasé perspective on the scandal, using his House of Lords resignation speech to crack jokes and appearing at a British Museum gala a day after announcing his intention to quit.
Speaking to the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg, Welby said: 'Every day more cases were coming across the desk that had been in the past, hadn't been dealt with adequately, and this was just, it was another case.'
The ex-archbishop knew Smyth from his time at Iwerne Trust holiday camps in Dorset - where further abuse is alleged to have been committed by the barrister - but denied that played any part in his decision not to flag allegations to the authorities.
'Yes I knew Smyth but it was an absolutely overwhelming few weeks,' he added.
Former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has defended his failure to report abuse by barrister John Smyth, claiming he was 'overwhelmed'
John Smyth was found to have abused more than 100 children and young men over almost five decades. He died in 2018, having evaded justice
Welby was sworn in as Archbishop of Canterbury, the Church of England's most senior cleric, in 2013 (pictured)
'It was overwhelming, one was trying to prioritise - but I think it's easy to sound defensive over this.
'The reality is I got it wrong. As archbishop, there are no excuses.'
But one of Smyth's victims, who reported his abuse in 2013, told the broadcaster: 'No one should be too busy to deal with a safeguarding disclosure.'
He is right! What was he so busy with? What were priorities over dealing with child abuse and child sex abuse in the church? What do you think Jesus' priorities would be?
And Andrew Graystone, an advocate for victims and survivors of Smyth's abuse, said: 'Justin Welby says that he was "overwhelmed" by the volume of safeguarding failures he was dealing with.
'My experience and that of the victims I speak to is that the church is still overwhelmed. After 12 years of Justin Welby's leadership there is very little improvement in the way that senior church leaders understand and care for victims.
'Victims and survivors are still coming forward every day with complaints about how they have been treated - not just by their abusers - but by the church. And the treatment they get is still woeful.'
The Makin Review found Smyth - who represented Christian morality campaigner Mary Whitehouse - might have been brought to justice if Dr Welby had reported the allegations to police in 2013.
Welby's were not the only failings: Winchester college, where many of Smyth's victims went, banned the abuser from the grounds but did not report him to the police, and a holiday camp abuse investigation was swept under the rug.
An abuse case in Zimbabwe, where he relocated, was dismissed, and Smyth was removed as a church leader in Cape Town after claims of inappropriate behaviour.
Smyth ultimately died in 2018 in South Africa, a year after the first abuse allegations against him were made public.
Confronted by Channel 4 News in 2017, the abuser said: 'I'm not talking about that. I don't know anything about that. I'm not answering any questions.'
Welby's contrition comes after he previously planned to carry on with public duties including Christmas proceedings before resigning.
He had said in his resignation statement that it was his 'duty to honour my Constitutional and church responsibilities' throughout January, which were set to include Christmas services. Outrage put paid to that plan.
He was also cornered by Private Eye editor Ian Hislop at a British Museum gala that he shamelessly attended a day after announcing his resignation.
Writing in the magazine, Hislop criticised those who approached Welby to comfort him after he resigned in shame.
He said: 'These particular Christians were far too keen to forgive each other for their sins and far too slow to seek justice for the poor victims in their flock.
'Welby seemed to me to be unrepentant and unashamed. I am not convinced he has been punished enough – unlike the poor boys his friend so mercilessly flogged in the name of Christianity.'
And he sparked further outrage after giving a jocular resignation speech in the House of Lords in which he joked that 'a head' had 'to roll' over the scandal - before making a crass reference to 14th Century archbishop Simon of Sudbury, who was beheaded.
'My Lords, it is often said and it is a cliche to say it - but hey, I am the Archbishop still - that if you want to make God laugh, make plans,' he said.
I don't think God is laughing in this context!
Dame Sarah Mullally, the Bishop of London, could be seen visibly holding her hand to her face throughout the cringe-inducing valedictory speech.
Welby later apologised for causing 'further distress' to Smyth's victims with his self-serving farewell.
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