WASHINGTON, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- The Boy Scouts of America (BSA), one of the largest youth organizations in the United States, faced at least 92,700 sexual abuse claims filed in court as of Monday, the deadline for submitting claims in the organization's bankruptcy case, said U.S. media.
The updated number came from bankruptcy court after 5 p.m. eastern time on Monday, Andrew Van Arsdale, one of the lead attorneys for the legal team representing the claimants, told CNN in an email.
"We are devastated by the number of lives impacted by past abuse in scouting and moved by the bravery of those who have come forward," a BSA statement said. "We are heartbroken that we cannot undo their pain."
"We are committed to working as expeditiously as possible to provide survivors of abuse with equitable compensation," the BSA statement said.
After Monday's deadline, the next step is for third-party advisers to review the claims. The proceedings in federal bankruptcy court will eventually lead to the creation of a compensation fund to pay out settlements to abuse survivors whose claims are upheld, according to CNN.
The nonprofit organization, founded in 1910, filed for bankruptcy in February as hundreds of sexual abuse lawsuits were filed across the country, some of which alleged repeated fondling, exposure to pornography and forced anal or oral sex that occurred more than 30 years ago.
The BSA reported that it had more than 1.26 million Cub Scouts, nearly 830,000 Boy Scouts and about 960,000 adult volunteers as of 2016. Enditem
