Washington ? A former priest accused in many of the child sex-abuse claims that bankrupted the eastern Washington Catholic diocese has agreed to pay $5 million to victims, who’ll likely never be paid.

Even though Patrick O’Donnell doesn’t have the money he agreed to pay, a lawyer for some two dozen victims says getting the former priest to own up to his actions will help them put the abuse behind them.

O’Donnell avoids a civil trial that was scheduled this week.

O’Donnell’s lawyer, John Bergman of Seattle, declined to release details of the settlement, saying documents were still being prepared.

In numerous depositions, O’Donnell admitted to molesting dozens of teenage boys over three decades. He refused to testify in the civil trial, however, and Kosnoff said the settlement was the best that could be achieved.

O’Donnell was named in 66 of the 176 claims alleging sexual abuse by priests in the Spokane diocese, more than any other local priest.