Boy Scouts considering bankruptcy in face of sexual abuse allegations: report

Dec. 13--The Boy Scouts of American is considering filing for bankruptcy in the face of lawsuits over sexual abuse allegations, the Wall Street Journal is reporting on Thursday morning.

Working with a law firm, the Boy Scouts is considering a chapter 11 filing as a way to better manage the lawsuits while continuing normal operations, according to the Wall Street Journal.

"Filing for bankruptcy would stop the litigation and would give the nonprofit a chance to negotiate with those who have sued," the journal wrote.

The Boy Scouts is considering a bankruptcy filing as a way to manage lawsuits, according to the Wall Street Journal. The Associated Press/file

The Boy Scouts, founded in 1910, is one of the largest youth organizations but is facing declining membership and growing legal costs as it deals with lawsuits over how it handled allegations of sexual abuse. It has about 2.3 million members, the journal said.

The Wall Street Journal noted that in recent years assorted organizations including Catholic dioceses and USA Gymnastics have filed for chapter 11 protection to negotiate payments with victims.

Boy Scouting remains prominent in the Harrisburg region, with assorted district chapters and programs, including after-school programs in the cities of Harrisburg and York, according to the website of the New Birth of Freedom Council of the Boy Scouts of America, which oversees scouting in the region.

The director of the local council couldn't immediately be reached on Thursday morning to discuss possible impacts of the situation.

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