Former Olympic gymnasts, including gold medalist Simone Biles, are seeking more than $1 billion from the FBI. Here is more on the story.
Gymnasts seek over $1b from the FBI
Dozens of women including Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles who say they were sexually assaulted by Larry Nassar are seeking over $1 billion from the FBI. They are suing the FBI for failing to stop the doctor when they first received the allegations against him.
Without dispute, the FBI was aware of accusations against Nassar for assaulting gymnasts. However, they failed to act and he continued targetting girls and young women for over a year. He is currently serving time in prison after pleading guilty in 2017.
Under federal law, a government agency has six months to respond to the tort claims filed Wednesday. Lawsuits could follow, depending on the FBI’s response.
“It is time for the FBI to be held accountable,” said Maggie Nichols, a national champion gymnast at Oklahoma in 2017-19.
The 90 claimants include Olympic gold medalists Aly Raisman, Biles, and McKayla Maroney according to Manly, Stewart & Finaldi, a law firm in California. Additionally, 13 others filed separate claims in April.
More on assault reports against Larry Nassar
“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,” said Samantha Roy. Roy is a former University of Michigan gymnast.
Indianapolis-based USA Gymnastics told local FBI agents in 2015 that three gymnasts said they were assaulted by Nassar, a team doctor. But the FBI did not open a formal investigation or inform federal or state authorities in Michigan, according to the Justice Department’s inspector general, an internal watchdog.
“Los Angeles agents in 2016 began a sexual tourism investigation against Nassar and interviewed several victims but also didn’t alert Michigan authorities”, said the inspector general.
Federal prosecutors filed a child pornography case in Grand Rapids, Michigan as Michigan’s attorney general ultimately handled the charges of assault against Nasar.
During the hearing, Biles stated that the “entire system” is responsible for enabling the abuse.
The FBI declined to comment in April when a smaller batch of claims was filed.
