Diocese of Brooklyn pays $27.5 million to 4 victims of sexual abuse

The Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn on Tuesday paid a $27.5 million settlement to four men who were sexually abused by a religion teacher when they were children.

The abuse took place between 2003 and 2009 at St. Lucy's-St. Patrick's Church in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn, when the boys were between the ages of 8 and 12. The boys were repeatedly abused by 67-year-old Angelo Serrano, a lay teacher of religion and director of religious education, The New York Times reports. Serrano was arrested in September 2009 and pleaded guilty in 2011 to first-degree sexual conduct charges. He is now serving a 15-year prison sentence.

The victims, now between the ages of 19 and 21, will each receive $6,875,000. This is one of the largest settlements ever reached with victims of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church.

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