LA-area school district pays $31M to settle molest lawsuit

TORRANCE, Calif. (AP) — Southern California’s Torrance Unified School District will pay $31 million to settle a lawsuit filed by the families of 22 boys victimized by a former wrestling coach.

Thomas Joseph Snider is serving a sentence of 69 years to life in prison after he was convicted on more than two dozen felony counts including committing lewd acts on a child.

Prosecutors said Snider would fondle students under the guise of conducting skin checks, saying he was checking for signs of ringworm.

City News Service reports Wednesday that much of the settlement will be paid by the school district’s insurer.

Torrance is a city of 145,000 people about 20 miles (32 kilometers) south of downtown Los Angeles.