Three insurance companies affiliated with American International Group have filed suit against the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles, seeking a court order compelling Cardinal Roger Mahony to produce records related to clergy sexual abuse claims.
The 12-page complaint was brought by Insurance Company of the State of Pennsylvania, Granite State Insurance Company, and American Home Assurance Company. All three provided coverage to the archdiocese during the 1970s and now face exposure from more than 535 abuse allegations dating to the 1930s.
The lawsuit contends that Mahony has withheld relevant information while pressing the carriers to contribute large sums toward settlements. Potential damages against the archdiocese were placed at more than $1 billion. Mahony's lead attorney disputed the claim, saying the insurers already have access to the files they need.
The suit lands amid widening financial strain on US Catholic dioceses following abuse disclosures that first drew national attention in Boston in early 2002. The dioceses of Spokane, Portland, and Tucson have each filed for bankruptcy protection. In December, the Diocese of Orange, southeast of Los Angeles, reached a $100 million settlement with 87 alleged victims.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this AFP wire report, first published in January 2005, in its own words.