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Boy Scouts of America Files for Bankruptcy Protection Under Wave of Sex Abuse Lawsuits

© AP Photo / Tony GutierrezFile - In this Feb. 4, 2013 file photo, shows a close up detail of a Boy Scout uniform worn during a news conference in front of the Boy Scouts of America headquarters in Irving, Texas.
File - In this Feb. 4, 2013 file photo, shows a close up detail of a Boy Scout uniform worn during a news conference in front of the Boy Scouts of America headquarters in Irving, Texas. - Sputnik International
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The news comes as several thousand men are reportedly suing the organisation, claiming they were molested by their scoutmasters or other leaders decades ago.

The Boy Scouts of America has filed for bankruptcy protection in a federal bankruptcy court in Wilmington, Delaware, AP reported on Tuesday.

"Scouting programs will continue throughout this process and for many years to come", Evan Roberts, a spokesman for the Scouts. stated. ''Local councils are not filing for bankruptcy because they are legally separate and distinct organisations".

While the Boy Scouts say there were only five known abuse victims in 2018, many cases against the organisation date from the 1960s to the 1980s. Last year, however, changes to laws in New York, New Jersey, Arizona and California made it easier for victims of abuse to file claims even if it occurred decades ago.

CC0 / / Boy Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America Files for Bankruptcy Protection Under Wave of Sex Abuse Lawsuits - Sputnik International
Boy Scouts of America

The Boy Scouts of America was established in 1910 and became one of the biggest youth organisations in the country. At the moment. it includes 2.3 million youth participants and about one million adult volunteers.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the national organisation possesses $1.4 billion in assets, while local councils hold about $3.3 billion in their funds. The Boy Scouts reportedly had to mortgage its properties, including the headquarters in Irving, Texas.

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