Penn State announced today that the university has reached settlements with 26 victims of former football coach Jerry Sandusky worth $59.7 million.
In a statement, Penn State said that the settlements include confidentiality agreements and 23 of the 26 have already signed their settlements. The remaining three have agreed in principle.
“The Board of Trustees has had as one of its primary objectives to reach settlements in a way that is fair and respects the privacy of the individuals involved,” Keith Masser, chair of the Board of Trustees said in the statement. “This is another important milestone in accomplishing that goal. I would like to thank the board’s Legal and Compliance Committee, as well as its Legal Subcommittee for its leadership throughout this process.”
According to USA Today, the university said that student tuition, taxpayer funds and donations would not fit the bill. Instead, the university has “liability insurance policies.”
Penn State said that it received 32 claims in total, but six were rejected because they found the claims “without merit.”
Sandusky was sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison on 45 counts of sexually abusing 10 young boys over a 15-year period. He claimed he never molested any children, but said he showered with boys.