More than 130 young men who say they were molested at a Haitian school would be paid $60 million under a proposed settlement with a New England-based group of Jesuits, Fairfield University, and others, lawyers for the former students announced Friday.
$60 million settlement proposed in sex abuse lawsuit against New England Jesuits, others
If approved by a federal judge in Connecticut, the proposed agreement involving misconduct at Project Pierre Toussaint School in Cap-Haitien stands out because it will benefit former students in one of the most impoverished nations in the world.
“This settlement is life-changing for my clients,” said Boston attorney Mitchell Garabedian during a news conference in Stamford, Conn. “The victims were homeless, without food, without clothing, and without medicine.”
Court papers filed in federal court in Connecticut Friday show the defendants don’t admit to any liability as part of the proposed agreement and have already contributed the $60 million to pay for the settlement plan.
Garabedian had filed federal civil suits on behalf of former students at the school, who alleged they were molested by Douglas Perlitz, 48, a founder of the now-closed school. In 2010, Perlitz pleaded guilty to sexually abusing at least eight children over a decade in Haiti and was sentenced to nearly 20 ye...
Winter Appeal 2023
To our friends,
2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’
At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.
To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.
Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.
Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.
Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!
Warmly,
Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.
Interim Executive Director