THE FOLLOW UP
STATEMENT

The defendants agreed to pay $480,000 to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit.

True

Evidence from credible sources supports the statement as accurate. Learn more in Methodology.

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enforcement

Payment of $480,000 completed and compliance with all settlement terms (prohibition on Lucas managing properties, adoption of harassment-prevention policies, and required training).

Source summary
The Justice Department announced a $480,000 settlement with owners and operators of rental properties in and around Athens County, Ohio to resolve a lawsuit alleging their former rental manager, Joseph Earl Lucas, sexually harassed female tenants and applicants from about 2004 to 2023 in violation of the Fair Housing Act. Under the agreement the Bush and Carr families will pay $470,000 to victims and a $10,000 civil penalty, are barred from allowing Lucas to manage their properties, must adopt anti-harassment policies, and attend Fair Housing Act training. The Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Office of Inspector General participated in the investigation; the case is part of the Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative.
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Latest fact check

The Justice Department has confirmed that the owners and operators of rental properties in Athens County, Ohio, agreed to pay $480,000 to settle a lawsuit regarding sexual harassment allegations against their former rental manager. This settlement addresses violations of the Fair Housing Act as stated in the announcement. Therefore, the statement that the defendants agreed to pay $480,000 to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit is accurate.

Sources

Timeline

  1. Update · Dec 21, 2025, 08:52 AMTrue
    The Justice Department has confirmed that the owners and operators of rental properties in Athens County, Ohio, agreed to pay $480,000 to settle a lawsuit regarding sexual harassment allegations against their former rental manager. This settlement addresses violations of the Fair Housing Act as stated in the announcement. Therefore, the statement that the defendants agreed to pay $480,000 to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit is accurate.
  2. Update · Dec 21, 2025, 07:41 AMTrue
    The Justice Department confirmed that the owners and operators of rental properties in Athens County, Ohio, have agreed to a $480,000 settlement regarding a lawsuit that charged their former rental manager with sexual harassment violations under the Fair Housing Act. This statement is accurate as it corresponds exactly with the information provided in the official announcement. Therefore, the verdict is True as the claim is fully substantiated by credible evidence.
  3. Update · Dec 21, 2025, 06:56 AMTrue
    The Justice Department reported that the owners and operators of rental properties in Athens County, Ohio, agreed to a $480,000 settlement related to a lawsuit involving sexual harassment conducted by their former rental manager. This settlement reflects an acknowledgment of violations under the Fair Housing Act. Therefore, the statement that defendants agreed to pay $480,000 to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit is accurate based on the available evidence.
  4. Update · Dec 21, 2025, 05:48 AMTrue
    According to the Justice Department's announcement, the defendants, owners and operators of rental properties in Athens County, Ohio, agreed to pay $480,000 to settle a lawsuit related to sexual harassment. This settlement addresses the allegations that their former manager, Joseph Earl Lucas, violated the Fair Housing Act by harassing female tenants over a span of almost twenty years. Therefore, the statement is accurate as it directly reflects the details of the settlement.
  5. Update · Dec 21, 2025, 05:00 AMTrue
    The Justice Department indeed announced that the owners and operators of rental properties in Athens County, Ohio, agreed to a $480,000 settlement in a sexual harassment lawsuit. This lawsuit was based on allegations that their former rental manager sexually harassed female tenants and prospective tenants over nearly twenty years, in violation of the Fair Housing Act. Therefore, the statement is accurate as it stands.
  6. Update · Dec 21, 2025, 04:18 AMTrue
    The Justice Department confirmed that the owners and operators of rental properties in Athens County, Ohio, agreed to pay $480,000 to settle allegations of sexual harassment against their former rental manager, Joseph Earl Lucas. This settlement is directly linked to violations of the Fair Housing Act over nearly two decades. Therefore, the statement about the defendants agreeing to pay this amount is accurate.
  7. Update · Dec 21, 2025, 02:49 AMTrue
    The Justice Department's announcement confirms that the owners and operators of rental properties in Athens County, Ohio, have indeed agreed to pay $480,000 to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit. The lawsuit alleged that their former rental manager engaged in prolonged sexual harassment of female tenants, violating the Fair Housing Act. Therefore, the statement about the settlement amount is accurate and supported by the official announcement from the Justice Department.
  8. Update · Dec 20, 2025, 11:42 PMTrue
    The Justice Department reported that the owners and operators of rental properties in Athens County, Ohio, have indeed agreed to pay $480,000 to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit. This lawsuit claimed that their former rental manager, Joseph Earl Lucas, had sexually harassed female tenants over a span of nearly twenty years, violating the Fair Housing Act. Therefore, the statement regarding the settlement amount is accurate.
  9. Update · Dec 20, 2025, 08:39 AMcomplete
    The statement that the defendants agreed to pay $480,000 to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit is accurate. The Justice Department's announcement confirms that the owners and operators of rental properties in Athens County, Ohio, have indeed reached a settlement for this amount in connection with allegations of sexual harassment by their former rental manager. Therefore, the claim is true as stated.
  10. Update · Dec 19, 2025, 07:29 AMcomplete
    The statement is accurate; the Justice Department confirmed that the owners and operators of rental properties in Athens County, Ohio agreed to pay $480,000 to settle a sexual harassment lawsuit. The lawsuit alleged that Joseph Earl Lucas, the former rental manager, sexually harassed female tenants, violating the Fair Housing Act. Thus, the verdict is complete because the statement aligns directly with the official announcement from the Justice Department.
  11. Original article · Dec 18, 2025
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