3 Accused of False Sex Claims
The Associated Press, 02-24-00

BOSTON (AP) - A mother, her son and another man were indicted Thursday for trying to bilk the Archdiocese of Boston out of $850,000 by claiming sexual abuse against a priest.

Sean Murphy, 35, his mother, Sylvia, 57, both of Lynn, and Byron Worth, 41, of Ashburnham, were indicted on conspiracy and attempted larceny charges.

The trio claimed that Worth, Sean Murphy and his brother were sexually abused by a priest when they were children, state Attorney General Tom Reilly said. In 1998, Sean Murphy allegedly sought $850,000 from the archdiocese.

Police determined that at the time of the alleged abuse, neither Murphy nor Worth lived in the community where the abused supposedly occurred.

To support the scheme, Sylvia Murphy created phony school records showing that the family had lived in the town more than two decades ago, Reilly's office said.

Archdiocese spokesman John Walsh said no payments were made.

Murphy's brother, whose name was not released, was not charged.

AP-NY-02-24-00 2022EST

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