U.S. Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles and dozens of other women are seeking $1 billion from the FBI for failing to act on allegations of sexual assault. The claimants say that the agency’s inaction allowed sports doctor Larry Nassar to prey on female athletes for more than a year after the allegations were first reported to the FBI.
Larry Nassar, a former sports doctor at Michigan State University and former team doctor for USA Gymnastics, had unfettered access to hundreds of female athletes.
Eighty-four survivors of sexual assault from Larry Nassar came together at Michigan’s Supreme Court Building, also known as the Hall of Justice. | Image by Glamour
Overall, there are 90 claimants in the filing, including U.S. Olympic Gymnasts Aly Raisman, Simone Biles, and Mckayla Maroney, according to California law firm Manly, Stewart & Finaldi.
The FBI has six months to respond to the tort, which was filed last week, after which a lawsuit may be filed. Thirteen other sexual assault victims of Larry Nassar filed separate claims against the FBI in April.
National Champion gymnast Maggie Nichols said, “It is time for the FBI to be held accountable.”
University of Michigan gold medalist Samantha Roy remarked, “If the FBI had simply done its job, Nassar would have been stopped before he ever had the chance to abuse hundreds of girls, including me.”
USA Gymnastics, based in Indianapolis, first told FBI agents about three Nassar-related assault cases in 2015. The Justice Department’s inspector general reported the FBI refused to open a formal investigation or inform federal authorities.
FBI Director Christopher Wray apologized to Congress last year, saying, “I’m especially sorry that there were people at the FBI who had their own chance to stop this monster back in 2015 and failed. And that’s inexcusable.”
In 2016, Los Angeles FBI agents launched a sexual tourism investigation against Nassar, interviewing several victims. However, the FBI’s findings in that investigation were not reported to Michigan authorities.
Nassar was arrested after Michigan State University police began an investigation in the fall of 2016.
Afterward, the Michigan attorney general’s office prosecuted Nassar on sexual assault charges. Federal prosecutors charged him with child pornography in Grand Rapids, MI.
Larry Nassar being escorted during a court hearing. | Image by Scott Olson, Getty Images
Nassar is serving three separate sentences that will likely keep him behind bars for the rest of his life.
During a hearing in front of the U.S. Senate committee hearing, Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles blamed Larry Nassar and “an entire system” for enabling and perpetrating the abuse. Gymnast McKayla Maroney commented on the “dead silence” she received following her comments to the FBI.
Simone Biles during her statement at a U.S. Senate committee hearing. | Image by Graeme Jennings, The New York Times
In May, the Justice Department stated it would not press criminal charges against former FBI agents accused of providing inadequate responses during the inspector general’s investigation. They released a statement saying, “This does not in any way reflect a view that the investigation of Nassar was handled as it should have been, nor in any way reflects approval or disregard of the conduct of the former agents.”
Michigan State University has already settled a $500 million lawsuit in which the school was accused of dismissing or ignoring complaints about Nassar. These funds will be disbursed to over 300 women and girls assaulted by him.
In addition, the USA Gymnastics and U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee settled a $380 million suit. USA Gymnastics president Li Li Leung stated, “Individually and collectively, survivors have stepped forward with bravery to advocate for enduring change in this sport.”
USA Gymnastics filed for bankruptcy in December 2018 to consolidate numerous lawsuits filed against it.
