Simone Biles & Co. will be compensated. © AFP / LOIC VENANCE

$140 million for gymnastics abuse victims

The U.S. Department of Justice will pay $138,7 million in restitution to numerous victims of abuse by former sports doctor and gymnastics official Larry Nassar.

23 April 2024

From: dpa

According to a statement on Tuesday, 139 administrative lawsuits in connection with allegations of sexual abuse by Nassar have been settled. In a lawsuit filed by the highest security agency, the FBI, the women and girls affected accused them of following up on reports of abuse too late, which allowed Nassar to commit further crimes for more than a year until his arrest in fall 2016.

The Justice Department said that the settlement that has now been reached has resolved administrative claims against the United States. We had already spoken about the willingness to make compensation payments the previous week Wall Street Journal and the news agency AP reported.

Superstars testify

For decades, Nassar “abused his position by betraying the trust of the people under his care and medical supervision while simultaneously shirking responsibility,” Assistant Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer was quoted as saying in the statement: “These allegations were serious from the start must be taken. While these settlements will not undo the damage Nassar caused, we hope they will help provide the critical support the victims of his crimes need to continue healing.”

Nassar, 60, was a doctor for the US Gymnastics Association and the gymnasts at Michigan State University for more than 20 years. During this time he is said to have sexually abused 265 women and girls, including Olympic champions Simone Biles, Aly Raisman and McKayla Maroney. FBI chief Christopher Wray admitted his agency's “inexcusable” failure in a statement to the US Senate in September 2021.

Larry Nassar (right) was convicted. © APA/afp / GEOFF ROBINS

Nassar pleaded guilty in November 2017 and was convicted of more than 250 counts of sexual assault in three verdicts with sentences totaling up to 175 years in prison. World star Biles also testified in the trial alongside more than 150 other people affected.

The abuse victims had already been awarded compensation payments, and the total is now around one billion dollars. In 500, Nassar's former employer, Michigan State University, promised $2018 million in a settlement, and an agreement for $2021 million was reached with the USA Gymnastics Association in 380.