Over 90 women are bringing action against the FBI. Source: USA Gymnastics.
Over 90 gymnasts including Simone Biles are claiming that the FBI failed to handle sexual abuse allegations that were made against former physician Larry Nassar.
For over 18 years, Nassar was the lead doctor to the US gymnastics teams and during that time reportedly molested hundreds of young girls. The legal team are accusing the FBI of failing to take necessary steps to stop Nassar’s predation when allegations were first made against him.
It was found in July 2021 by the Justice Department’s Inspector General that the FBI “failed to respond to the Nassar allegations with the utmost seriousness and urgency that they deserved and required”.
“Numerous and fundamental errors” as well as violation of “multiple FBI policies” were discovered in the report. FBI agents were aware of allegations in 2015, however “did not take any action to mitigate the risk to gymnasts that Nassar continued to treat”.
Over 70 gymnasts were assaulted between 2015 and 2016 at Michigan State University (MSU). The university had to pay over US$500 million to more than 300 women and girls over Nassar actions, while a further US$380 million was paid to victims from the USA Gymnastics and the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee.
Former MSU gymnast Samantha Roy said “if the FBI had simply done its job, Nassar would have been stopped before he ever had the change to abuse hundreds of girls including me”.
Kaylee Lorincz and Hannah Morrow are seeking damages of US$42.5 million each while majority of the other gymnasts are seeking claims of US$10 million. The combined total of claims is estimated at US$1 billion.
Gymnast Maggie Nichols detailed that other entities besides the FBI knew of the abuse.
“The FBI knew that Larry Nassar was a danger to children when his abuse of me was first reported in September of 2015. For 421 days they worked with USA Gymnastics and USOPC to hide this information from the public and allowed Nassar to continue molesting young women and girls.
“It is time for the FBI to be held accountable”.
In 2017, Nassar was sentenced to 60 years in prison on child pornography charges. A further 40 to 175 years was added to his sentence after pleading guilty to charges of sexual assault of minors.
US federal law states that a government agency has six months to respond to tort claims made against them.
The FBI has yet to comment on the lawsuit.
