$60M Settlement In Sex Abuse Claims Against Fairfield U Graduate

FAIRFIELD, CT — Fairfield University, along with four other defendants, have reached a $60-million settlement in connection to sexual abuse claims against a Fairfield University graduate’s charity in Haiti. Douglas Perlitz established the charity known as “Project Pierre Toussaint” in 1997 aimed at helping underprivileged young men in Haiti.

“Many of our community members were inspired by this effort and gave generously to support it,” according to a joint statement from Frank J. Carroll III, chairman of the board of trustees, and Mark Nemec, president of Fairfield University, to the campus community announcing the settlement. “Eleven years later, in 2008, the University learned that Mr. Perlitz had grossly abused his position, sexually assaulting some of the young men in his care.

“Though some members of our community donated time and resources to the project. Fairfield University played no role in the management or governance of Project Pierre Toussaint. The University was not aware of Mr. Perlitz’s crimes before they were publicly reported. Regardless, our community was shaken by these revelations.”

Fairfield University, and the four other defendants, reached a settlement in 2013 with the 24 victims who had come forward with claims against Perlitz. The university “took that step out of a sincere desire to avoid putting the victims through the potentially painful experience of a trial and to do what we could to support the needs of these young men, their families and their communities,” according to the statement.

In the years since, more victims came forward and the defendants agreed to establish a $60 million settlement fund that will “provide compensation to all persons abused by Mr. Perlitz. This settlement will resolve all claims arising from this matter,” according to university officials.

The settlement still needs approval from the courts. The victims were represented by Mitchell Garabedian, a Boston-based lawyer who was depicted in the film “Spotlight.” Garabedian said the $60 million settlement will be “life changing” for the more than 130 victims, according to News12 Connecticut.

“Everyone in our community has been saddened by these events,” Fairfield University officials wrote in the announcement. “Our prayers are with all those whose trust has been betrayed and we hope that these proceedings and the settlement reached will give some measure of relief to the victims.”

Read more at News12 Connecticut here.