the jury in Schenectady Supreme Court found that the pension funds were mismanaged and awarded them over $54 million.

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. – The former St. Clare’s employees fighting for their pensions won a victory in court on Friday.

After a weeks-long trial, the jury in Schenectady Supreme Court found that the pension funds were mismanaged and awarded them over $54 million. The New York State Attorney General’s Office and the AARP Foundation brought the suit.

The jury found former bishops and the former management of St. Clare’s Hospital liable for failing to properly administer the St. Clare’s Hospital pension plan for 1,124 workers, according to the Attorney General’s Office.

Former Albany bishops Howard Hubbard and Edward Scharfenberger, former diocesan employee and St. Clare’s President Joseph Pofit, and former St. Clare’s Hospital President Robert Perry, all breached their fiduciary duties to the St. Clare’s Hospital and the pensioners, according to Attorney General Letitia James.

The Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany said the diocese itself was not found liable.

The jury awarded $54.2 million in damages to the pensioners for their lost pension payments.

“This verdict is a major victory for every St. Clare’s Hospital employee who tirelessly cared for patients and was unjustly denied their pension and the chance to retire with dignity,” James said in a statement.

Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara issued a statement reacting to the verdict.

“The verdict in the St. Clare’s pension case is a long-overdue affirmation of fairness for retirees who did everything right. These workers dedicated decades of service caring for our community and earned the retirement security they were promised. Today’s decision confirms that those promises matter,” he said in a statement.

During closing arguments on Thursday, the defense attorneys attempted to lay the blame at the state Department of Health and the Berger Commission, which was forcing hospitals to find efficiencies. St. Clare’s ultimately closed in 2008.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs argued the St. Clare’s board should have been putting money into the fund and should have been more transparent with pensioners about the dire state of the fund.

NewsChannel 13 will have updates on air and online.

RELATED: Closing arguments take place in case of former St. Clare’s employees seeking to get their pensions 

RELATED: St. Clare’s pensioners hopeful as trial wraps up this week

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