CHICAGO (OSV News) — The Archdiocese of Chicago has been given the go-ahead to proceed with its countersuit against abuse settlement claimants who received payouts or had pending settlements after filing allegedly false claims.
Cardinal Blase J. Cupich of Chicago announced, in a June 12 letter, the Cook County Circuit Court’s decision after the defense tried to have the lawsuit dismissed.
“We look forward to pursuing these claims,” James Geoly, the archdiocese’s general counsel, said in a June 19 email to OSV News.
The archdiocese’s case names seven defendants, whom it said were part of a wide network of claimants, including some based in Illinois’ jail and prison system, who schemed to receive settlements. The archdiocese said it discovered the enterprise after closely examining a claim submitted by someone serving a prison sentence.
According to the lawsuit filed in March 2025, its staff then combed through prison and jail phone records, which inmates are notified to be recorded. It said the archdiocese uncovered the network of at least 30 people including convicted murderers, drug dealers, gang members and their family members involved in the filings or trying to be included in them.
The cardinal’s letter also warned of the “unprecedented and marked rise in the number of abuse claims” in the past 18 months, “largely stemming from events alleged to have occurred decades ago” that he said was due to ramped up injury law...
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