The former president of Penn State University, who was forced to resign from the post after the Jerry Sandusky child sex-abuse broke out in 2011, will receive $3.3 million in compensation for being "terminated without cause" according to the university spokesman.
The university spokesman David LaTorre spoke to Philly News, telling them that Spanier will receive the $3.3 million, which also included a $1.2 million severance pay, "earned over his 16 years as president were required under Spanier's 2010 employment agreement," as reported by the website.
Earlier this month, state Prosecutors filed charges against the Spanier for obstruction of justice and endangering welfare of children during Jerry Sandusky child sex-abuse events.
Spanier, who resigned from his position as president due to the scandal, insists on his innocence. His lawyer released a statement to NBC as "Graham Spanier has committed no crime and looks forward to the opportunity to clear his good name and well earned national reputation for integrity...This presentment is a politically motivated frame-up of an innocent man. And if these charges ever come to trial, we will prove it."
In addition to Spanier, the other top PSU officials involved in the scandal- ex-Athletic Director, Tim Curley and ex-Vice President Gary Schultz have also received additional charges in the same scandal.
State Attorney General Linda Kelly told NBC, "This case is about three powerful men who held high positions -- three men who used their positions to conceal and cover up for years the activities of a known child predator...This was not a mistake, an oversight or a misjudgment."
In May, a jury of seven women and five men found Sandusky guilty of 45 out of the 48 counts against him for sexual abuse of ten young boys over a span of 15 years. Former Penn State University assistant football coach, Sandusky, was sentenced to between 30 and 60 years in prison in the child sex-abuse case over the summer. He was recently transferred to a maximum-security prison located in South Pennsylvania to serve his sentencing for child sex abuse.
