Announcement Regarding September 20, 2024 Deadline to Update Compensatory Damage Amounts

August 8, 2024

All applicants have a continuing obligation to update claim information, including significant developments involving the status of a qualifying final judgment. The USVSST Fund must receive any updates regarding compensatory damage amounts by September 20, 2024 for consideration in fifth-round payments.

This requirement applies to existing eligible claims and claims submitted by the July 1, 2024 deadline for new claimants to submit applications to be considered for fifth-round payments. As the Special Master previously announced, she will authorize fifth-round payments for all eligible claims by January 1, 2025. Applications received after July 1, 2024 will be considered for future payment rounds, the timing of which will depend on the availability of funds.

Special Master's Announcement Regarding Authorizing the Fifth Distribution by January 1, 2025

June 14, 2024

Special Master Mary Patrice Brown is pleased to announce that she will authorize fifth-round payments for all eligible claims by January 1, 2025.

The USVSST Fund anticipates that the amount available for the fifth distribution will be at least $940 million. The USVSST Fund continues to collect qualifying deposits. The final amount available for the fifth distribution will be posted after the end of fiscal year 2024.

As the Special Master previously announced, the deadline for new claimants to submit applications to be considered for fifth-round payments is July 1, 2024. Claimants who were eligible for payments in prior rounds remain eligible for the fifth distribution and should not complete new applications.

Special Master’s Announcement Regarding the July 1st Filing Deadline for NEW Applications

April 30, 2024

The USVSST Fund continues to collect qualifying case deposits and to evaluate whether a fifth distribution can be authorized by January 1, 2025. At a later time, the USVSST Fund will announce on this website whether there will be a 2025 distribution.

If the Special Master determines that sufficient funds are available to authorize a distribution by January 1, 2025, the application deadline for new claimants to be considered for fifth-round payments will be July 1, 2024. The USVSST Fund encourages prospective new claimants to keep this potential application deadline in mind. Claimants who were eligible for payments in prior rounds remain eligible for the fifth distribution and should not complete new applications.

The USVSST Fund continues to accept applications to be considered for future payment rounds, the timing of which will depend on the availability of funds. In general, claimants must submit applications not later than 90 days after the date of obtaining the final judgment.

A Message from USVSST Fund Special Master Mary Patrice Brown

March 18, 2024

I am pleased to announce today’s launch of the redesigned www.usvsst.com website. Among other enhancements, the U.S. Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund’s updated website is more user and mobile-friendly; provides additional data, reporting, and financial information; and showcases featured content and news.

This redesigned website is part of the Fund’s ongoing modernization efforts. Over the next year, the Fund also plans to improve the claims process by launching a new, web-based claims portal to streamline the application process.

As we approach National Crime Victims’ Week, my team and I remain deeply committed to serving our growing claimant population and will continue to process and pay claims as promptly, accurately, and fairly as possible.

Sincerely,

Mary Patrice Brown
Special Master, U.S. Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund

A Message from USVSST Fund Special Master Mary Patrice Brown

December 19, 2023

As I complete my third year serving as the Special Master of the U.S. Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund, I wanted to take a moment to reflect upon the hardship and loss that victims of international terrorism and their families must face every day. We will never forget those whose lives have been lost, those who suffered injuries, and families who have been forced to deal with horrific trauma and loss. My team and I take inspiration from the strength, courage, and resilience of the individuals we serve, and we want to share with you some of the results of our efforts to carry out our mission of providing compensation to victims of state-sponsored terrorism and their families, as mandated by our statute.

Since the Fund was established by Congress in 2015, over $6 billion has been paid out to eligible victims, and while we know that no amount of compensation could ever repair what was lost for those devastated by acts of international terrorism, my dedicated team and I continue to work to ensure that all available funds reach victims and their families.

I authorized the Fund’s fourth distribution in December 2022, and, in early 2023, the Fund issued over 90 percent of eligible claimants’ fourth-round payments. Apart from that statutory distribution, in accordance with the Fairness for 9/11 Families Act, in April 2023, the Fund informed eligible 9/11‑related claimants of their lump sum catch‑up payment amounts. The Fund issued over 90 percent of these payments within one month. Overall, the total compensation paid by the Fund to victims of international terrorism and their families to date exceeds $6 billion.

The Fund continues to accept applications to be considered for future payment rounds, the timing of which will depend on the availability of funds. As of December 19, 2023, I have notified 1,745 new claimants that they are eligible, bringing the total number of claimants eligible for future distributions to 17,514. Of those, 12,225 are 9/11 victims and their family members, and 5,289 claimants have claims related to other acts of terrorism.

In addition to issuing payments and processing claims as efficiently as possible, the Fund responds to requests for information from the Comptroller General, Government Accountability Office in preparation for authorizing lump sum catch‑up payments for eligible 1983 Beirut barracks bombing victims and 1996 Khobar Towers bombing victims in accordance with the Fund’s governing statute.

My team and I continue to address the challenges to better serving our claimant population. We are in the process of overhauling our claims processing system, which will be better suited to handle the large number of claims that we have received and continue to receive. We are also working to improve our website, www.usvsst.com, to provide a better user experience and more detailed information about Fund operations, including more information about qualifying case deposits. In 2023, we collected more than $44 million from civil and criminal cases. We provide a chart of all qualifying deposits by year and type, starting from 2016, on this website.

I am very proud of the work of the dedicated team at the Fund. I am confident that in 2024 my team and I will continue to meet the challenges of processing and paying claims promptly, fairly, and transparently. We hope that each payment made to the victims of international terrorism can be a step closer to bringing them some semblance of justice.

Sincerely,

Mary Patrice Brown
Special Master, U.S. Victims of State Sponsored Terrorism Fund

Special Master Announcement Regarding Future Payment Rounds

July 3, 2023

The Special Master has determined that there will be insufficient funds to authorize an additional round of payments by January 1, 2024.

The USVSST Fund continues to work diligently to identify matters that qualify for deposit and to accumulate deposits. This chart provides information about the qualifying case deposits accumulated by the USVSST Fund. If sufficient funds are available for a distribution to all eligible claimants, the Special Master authorizes payments by January 1, the annual statutory date by which to do so.

Accordingly, if sufficient funds are available, the Special Master will authorize the next round of payments by January 1, 2025 or in subsequent years, until the USVSST Fund sunsets in 2039.

The USVSST Fund continues to accept applications to be considered for future payment rounds, the timing of which will depend on the availability of funds. In general, claimants must submit applications not later than 90 days after the date of obtaining the final judgment. The USVSST Fund will announce the deadline to submit applications for consideration for fifth round payments at a later time.