(Reuters) – Penn State University agreed to pay $59.7 million to 26 victims of convicted child molester Jerry Sandusky, settling the bulk of claims in a major step to move beyond a scandal that upended one of US college football’s most lucrative teams.
The university said in a statement it reached the settlements in the wake of Sandusky’s conviction in June 2012 for sexually abusing boys while he was an assistant football coach and after he retired.
“We hope this is another step forward in the healing process for those hurt by Mr. Sandusky, and another step forward for Penn State,” university President Rodney Erickson said in a statement.
“We cannot undo what has been done, but we can and must do everything possible to learn from this and ensure it never happens again at Penn State,” he added.
Claims from six other men who said Sandusky abused them as children have been rejected or may result in possible settlements, the school said.
