Men file sex abuse lawsuit against Boy Scouts, LDS Church

BOISE — Five men who say they were sexually abused as kids while in the Boy Scouts of America are suing the organization and the LDS Church because they say both groups fraudulently presented the Boy Scouts as a safe, wholesome activity for boys.

The men filed the lawsuit Monday in Boise’s U.S. District Court. They contend that the Boy Scouts of America and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints knew that there were child molesters in the Boy Scouts, but they covered up the danger instead of letting parents and children know about the risk.

“We have only recently learned about this legal action and will take time to understand it fully and to respond as appropriate,” LDS Church spokesman Eric Hawkins said in a prepared statement.

The Boy Scouts of America said in a prepared statement that the behavior included in the allegations is abhorrent, and that the organization has strengthened its efforts to protect youth in the years since the abuse occurred.

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