Report: Willow Creek megachurch paid $3.25M to settle child sex abuse lawsuits

There are new revelations involving child sex abuse at a troubled suburban megachurch.

Willow Creek Community Church in the northwest suburbs lost its lead pastor earlier this year after he resigned amid allegations of sex abuse. Now, we are learning the church has paid millions of dollars in settlements in two sex abuse cases of two young boys.

The Willow Creek Community Church paid more than $3 million dollars, according to the Chicago Tribune, to families of developmentally disabled boys who were sexually abused inside the church in 2013 and 2014.

At the time, we're told Robert Sobczak Junior was a volunteer for the Barrington church. He's now 24 years old, and serving a seven-year sentence for reportedly sexually abusing an 8-year-old boy.

He also pleaded guilty in 2013, the paper reports, for sexually abusing another disabled boy and received probation.

The Tribune reports there were warning signs about Sobczak, but the church failed to act. They have since settled two civil lawsuits with the boys' families -- one for $1.75 million dollars and the other for $1.5 million.

Willow Creek did not respond to FOX 32's request for comment, but did pass along a statement calling the experience "heartbreaking" and insisting they've made changes.

"We have worked with law enforcement and security experts to learn how this happened and how we can ensure it never happens again,” the church said.

Word of these settlements come on the heels of the resignation of lead pastor and church founder Bill Hybels. He is accused of sexual misconduct with women.

The church insists the two incidents are unrelated.

Willow Creek says in their statement they've made changes in recent years to the room for kids with special needs. There are no isolated areas and kids are visible to all staff at all times.