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Joe Paterno Knew Jerry Sandusky Was Molesting Children As Far Back As 1976, Claim Insurers

By Val Powell
Published on: 15:13 PST, May 6, 2016

The Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal has come into the spotlight once again after new claims emerged that late Penn State University football coach Joe Paterno had full knowledge of the abuse allegations involving his former assistant coach.

The insurance company claimed Paterno had knowledge of Sandusky’s actions as early as 1976. The information emerged after a dispute on who should pay Penn State’s share in the settlement of 26 men who claimed that Jerry Sandusky had abused them sexually when they were just children. The amount is pegged at around $60 million.

The dispute revolved around who should pay for the settlement; whether it should be the insurance company or Penn State University.

According to a judge, insurers who are in litigation with the university now claims that a boy informed coach Joe Paterno in 1976 about being molested by the then-assistant football coach of the Nittany Lions football team. This molester was identified as Jerry Sandusky.

Philadelphia Judge Gary Glazer pointed to two separate reports made in 1987 and 1988. The reports accounted for unnamed football coaches who allegedly witnessed “inappropriate contact between Sandusky and unidentified children.”

A statement from the Paterno family, however, said, “An allegation now about an alleged event 40 years ago, as represented by a single line in a court document regarding an insurance issue, with no corroborating evidence, does not change the facts.

“Joe Paterno did not, at any time, cover up conduct by Jerry Sandusky,” it added.

Paterno is a revered figure who represented integrity in college football. He was fired amid strong allegations that he did not give a full report to the authorities about Jerry Sandusky’s criminal acts.

He passed away in January of 2012 at the age of 85. At the time of his death, he was never charged with any crimes in relation to the Sandusky case.

The case file, which is sealed, allegedly contains victims’ depositions that described the incidents. The statements were given as part of the insurance coverage claims covering the Sandusky case.

Jerry Sandusky is currently serving decades in prison. He was convicted of sexually abusing 10 boys in separate incidents that dated as far back as the early 1990s.

Concrete proof of earlier allegations had not been exposed even though he had been convicted of sexually abusing children he met through a children’s charity that he founded in 1977.

On Monday, Jerry Sandusky did not testify at an appeal hearing for his 2012 conviction. However, his failure to testify did not mean he will continue to be silent. In fact, the disgraced former Penn State football assistant coach and convicted child molester penned a statement to give the world a piece of his mind.

In the statement read by one of his attorneys, Andres Salemme, he reiterated that he was innocent.

“I could write a book about what has happened. Unmask accusers, demonstrate improprieties,” part of his statement reads. “Present illegalities, Show unfairness. Reveal deception, dishonesty and corruption. Instead, I am presenting a quick summary. Knowing there is much more to the story.”

He even added that his conviction has greatly affected his family saying, “My concern is for my family, friends, supporters, and those who have worked so hard to identify the wrong.”

“People have been hurt who don’t deserve it. I am an innocent man serving what amounts to a life sentence,” he said.

Jerry Sandusky is now appealing a 45-count child sexual abuse conviction and was just granted a hearing scheduled on May 20 as he continues to pursue his appeal.

[Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images]

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