Chile's Court of Appeal has ordered the office of Santiago's Archbishop to pay 450 million pesos ($650,000) to three men who alleged they were sexually abused for decades by Chilean priest Fernando Karadima, a local newspaper reported on Sunday.

Citing a copy of a leaked judgment, La Tercera said the three judges who heard the case on Thursday found in favor of an appeal for "moral damages" against the church for allegedly covering up the crimes. The case was previously rejected by a lower court for lack of evidence.

Reuters could not independently confirm the report. The Santiago Archbishopric, which could appeal to Chile's Supreme Court, said it was considering "what steps to take."