Lawsuit: Negligence, Cover-Up, and Child Exploitation All Took Place at Bishop Luers High School
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FORT WAYNE, Ind.–A lawsuit filed in Marion County accuses students at Bishop Luers High School in Fort Wayne of engaging in a scheme to create and distribute pornographic videos and photos of their female classmates without their consent.
Four female students, along with their parents, are suing the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend, and Bishop Luers High School. Also named in the lawsuit are the following:
-Superintendent of Fort Wayne-South Bend Diocesan Schools David Maugel
-Three Bishop Luers’ staff members
-Dean of Students and Athletic Director Kevin Mann
-Principal Scott Kreiger
-Former Principal and current Director of Development James Huth
The complaint was filed in Marion County Court on January 21. The plaintiffs are represented by Greg Laker and Andrea Simmons of CohenMalad, LLP, Indianapolis.
Laker estimates that 38 current and former female students of Bishop Luers, most or all of whom were minors at the time were victimized.
“Probably half of them aren’t even anywhere that they were the subject of videos that were being distributed and sold by students at Bishop Luers,” said Laker.
Laker says beginning sometime in 2022, three male students at Bishop Luers conducted internet searches for explicit images and videos of women/girls who resembled the female students. He believes the boys “saved, edited, and modified these files, overlayed first and last names of the intendend student-victims” on media platforms, and organized the collections into folders that also had the girls’ first and last names. These were then sold and distributed to students at both Bishop Luers and other high schools.
“We don’t know exactly when it began. All we know is that it had been going on for months. It came to light with our clients in September 2023,” said Laker.
That’s when he said one of the victims discovered the crimes, told other victims, and the plaintiffs gave an ultimatum to contact police or they would.
Laker says there are several defendants being named in this lawsuit for a good reason.
“We believe that the Archdiocese and the Diocese including the Bishop of the Fort Wayne Diocese was aware of these videos and did nothing about it. It’s also shocking to me that the school hasn’t even bothered to let some of the students and parents know that their child is involved,” said Laker.
Among the accusations levied by CohenMalad are gross negligence, civil liability (failure to report), and fraudulent concealment along with breach of fiduciary duty.
You can hear the full interview with Laker below.
