Former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky gets into a police car at the Centre County Courthouse in handcuffs after a jury found him guilty in his sex abuse trial on June 22, 2012 in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. The jury found Sandusky guilty on 45 of 48 counts in the sexual abuse trial of the former Penn State assistant football coach, who was charged with sexual abuse of 10 boys over a 15-year period.
(June 21, 2012 – Source: Rob Carr/Getty Images North America)
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Penn State’s costs for legal fees, consultants and public relations firms hired to help deal with the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal have reached nearly $17 million.
The university said it has spent almost $16.8 million through June 30.
Nearly $10 million of that went to seven firms for what Penn State calls internal investigation and crisis communications. Nearly $4 million went for university legal services and defense.
The university is also facing lawsuits from Sandusky’s accusers while the NCAA leveled a $60 million fine against the school in July.
The school says the costs for the legal defense and public relations are not paid by student tuition, taxpayer funds or donations. It says the costs will be covered by insurance policies or interest payments on loans it makes.
