Only 1 Final Payment Made In 91,000 Oil Spill Claims

OCEAN SPRINGS, Miss. (AP) — Thousands of people and businesses are awaiting final settlement payments from BP's Gulf of Mexico oil spill compensation fund, but records show that only one has been paid — after BP intervened.

The Gulf Coast Claims Facility was set up in August to independently administer BP's $20 billion compensation fund in the aftermath of its April 20 oil well blowout off Louisiana.

As of this weekend, roughly 91,000 claimants had filed for final settlements, but the fund's administrator has said those checks won't start rolling out until next month.

BP won't say what one business has already received a $10 million payment, citing confidentiality. However, the company told The Associated Press it lobbied the claims fund on behalf of that claimant.