Ivan Alvarado/Reuters
Nearly 300 men and women will be compensated by the Diocese of Rockville Centre in New York after they were allegedly abused by priests, Newsday reports. Since starting their “special compensation program” last fall, the diocese has received 293 claims and has offered 221 financial settlements. According to program’s co-administrator Camille Biros, the others will receive offers in the coming months. Biros said most of the claim filers were male, and did not elaborate on how much money the diocese was settling for. Attorneys for the alleged victims told Newsday said that the payments have ranged from “$25,000 to $500,000 each” in exchange for the recipient not suing the church. New York’s eight diocese along with ones in New Jersey are under investigation by their respective attorneys general over the handling of child-abuse claims.