The U.S. Justice Department announced a $138.7 million settlement with more than 100 people who accused the FBI of mishandling allegations of sexual assault against Larry Nassar in 2015 and 2016. This critical time gap allowed the sports doctor to continue preying on victims before his arrest.
Nassar, who worked at Michigan State University and served as a team doctor for USA Gymnastics, is currently serving a lengthy prison sentence for assaulting female athletes, including Olympic gymnasts. The settlement brings the total compensation set aside for Nassar’s victims to roughly $1 billion.
Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin Mizer emphasized that Nassar’s betrayal of trust should have been taken seriously from the beginning. The settlements aim to provide critical support for the victims to continue their healing process.
The Justice Department acknowledged its failure to intervene despite having knowledge of the allegations against Nassar for over a year. FBI Director Christopher Wray publicly apologized to the survivors, including Olympians Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, and McKayla Maroney, for the agency’s inaction.
Rachael Denhollander, who was the first to publicly accuse Nassar of abuse, expressed gratitude for the long-awaited accountability. She highlighted the rarity of survivors seeing justice and restitution in cases like this.
Michigan State University, USA Gymnastics, and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee have also reached settlements in connection to Nassar’s abuse. The impact of these settlements extends beyond financial compensation, providing a sense of closure and justice for the survivors.