Lang
7/30/22
A settlement reached in a class-action lawsuit will set up a $1 million fund for players abused by former Iowa Barnstormers coach Greg Stephen.
Stephen pleaded guilty in 2018 to charges he sexually exploited minors and possessed and transported child pornography. He acknowledged secretly recording players while they were naked, posing as a girl on social media to trick boys into sending him sexually explicit images, and recording himself fondling boys while they slept. He was sentenced to 180 years in prison.
An unnamed player sued Stephen, the Barnstormers, Adidas and the Amateur Athletic Union for negligence, with the latter three groups being accused of hiring and supervising Stephen and not protecting the player from Stephen’s actions.
Other players were allowed to join the legal action as a class-action lawsuit. On Friday, the two sides reached a settlement that included the $1 million fund. A judge has yet to approve the deal.