It's what Eden One stated, " If the plaintiff didn't have a case, the Watchtower wouldn't make a settlement. " End of story. Pretty simple. Some pontificators on the thread try to make it more complicated than it is in order to muddy the waters of who is responsible.
Bottom line is this : Since the WT Society is raking in millions $$$ right now from sales of real estate properties and consolidating kingdom halls across the planet- naturally these funds are going to be used in part to settle thousands of child abuse lawsuits around the world out of court with accompanying gag orders on the victims to make sure the Internet or any news media online or via television won't air it that much to " preserve " the alleged " reputation " of the WT Society to the general public and it's own members. WT leaders don't want to be on the mainstream news every night about child abuse - so they'll take whatever financial maneuvers possible to avoid that scenario. Pretty twisted- but accurate. They don't want hundreds or thousands of Candace Conti type fires to have to put out in the mainstream media. That's a criminal organization in action to preserve it's 138 years worth of delusion of themselves AND the public