The U.S. Justice Department has announced a $138.7 million settlement with over 100 individuals who accused the FBI of mishandling sexual assault allegations against Larry Nassar between 2015 and 2016. This critical time lapse allowed Nassar, a sports doctor, to continue preying on victims before his eventual arrest.
With this settlement, along with others, roughly $1 billion has been allocated by various organizations to compensate hundreds of women who were assaulted by Nassar under the guise of medical treatment for sports injuries.
Nassar, who worked at Michigan State University and served as a team doctor for USA Gymnastics in Indianapolis, is currently serving a lengthy prison sentence for assaulting female athletes, including Olympic gymnasts.
Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin Mizer emphasized Nassar’s betrayal of trust and acknowledged that the allegations should have been taken seriously from the start. While these settlements cannot undo the harm inflicted by Nassar, they aim to provide critical support for the victims’ ongoing healing process.
The Justice Department admitted its failure to intervene earlier. Despite having knowledge of allegations against Nassar for over a year, FBI agents in Indianapolis and Los Angeles reportedly took no action, as revealed by an internal investigation.
FBI Director Christopher Wray expressed contrition during a Senate hearing in 2021, directly addressing survivors like Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, and McKayla Maroney. He apologized for the repeated failures and the missed opportunity to stop Nassar in 2015.
Following an investigation in 2016, federal charges were brought against Nassar after the discovery of child sexual abuse images. Meanwhile, the Michigan attorney general’s office pursued assault charges, culminating in a high-profile sentencing hearing that brought Nassar’s crimes to light.
Rachael Denhollander, who was the first to publicly come forward with abuse allegations against Nassar, expressed gratitude for the Justice Department’s accountability measures. However, she noted that many survivors never witness such accountability or receive restitution.
Michigan State University, accused of overlooking opportunities to stop Nassar over the years, agreed to a $500 million settlement with over 300 victims. Additionally, USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee reached a $380 million settlement.
