MILWAUKEE, Dec. 6 (UPI) -- Five men who say they were abused by a priest as boys filed suit Friday accusing the Archdiocese of Milwaukee of fraud for failing to protect them.
The suit, which does not specify damages sought, says the church failed to supervise the Rev. George Nuedling, alleging that instead of finding and revealing Nuedling's alleged misconduct, the church actively misrepresented and concealed it.
Nuedling, who died in 1994, has been described as "a notorious pedophile." He retired in 1993 after a victim came forward. He had been ordained in 1948.
The suit alleges between 1959 and 1964, Nuedling abused at least four boys and between 1968 and 1980, he abused nine more. He allegedly was caught in the act by a church deacon in 1980.
The suit was filed on behalf of James Ahler and brothers Jonathan and James Gillespie. Two other plaintiffs are not named.
James Gillespie said he was reluctant to come forward.
"Nobody wants this kind of notoriety," he told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "If this is my 15 minutes of fame, I'd just as soon take a rain check."
The suit claims Nuedling took advantage of Jonathan Gillespie when the latter was 12, forcing him to develop "various psychological coping mechanisms, including self-blame, denial, repression and disassociation from his experiences." As a result, the suit alleges, Gillespie still suffers from acute emotional distress.
A spokesman for the archdiocese had no comment.
