The United States Department of Justice has reached a landmark settlement totaling $138.7 million with over 100 victims of former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar. The settlement addresses the FBI’s initial shortcomings in probing the sexual assault case, which left more than 150 women and girls, including Olympic athletes, feeling unheard.
A Michigan state court sentenced Nassar to up to 175 years in prison for sexually abusing numerous young athletes under the guise of medical treatment.
Benjamin Mizer, the acting associate attorney general, expressed the Department’s stance, stating, “For decades, Lawrence Nassar abused his position, betraying the trust of those under his care and medical supervision while skirting accountability.” “We should have taken these allegations seriously from the outset,” he continued. While these settlements won’t undo the harm Nassar inflicted, our hope is that they will help give the victims of his crimes some of the critical support they need to continue healing.”
The Justice Department’s acknowledgment of its failures came after a scathing inspector general’s report highlighted senior officials in the FBI’s Indianapolis field office’s lapses. The report outlined fundamental errors and policy violations in their handling of the Nassar allegations.
This settlement follows previous agreements in 2021, where Nassar’s victims secured a $380 million settlement with USA Gymnastics, the US Olympic Committee, and their insurers. Additionally, in 2022, the DOJ initiated settlement discussions with the survivors of Nassar’s sexual assaults, marking a significant step towards addressing the ramifications of the case.
