Nearly 90 women have filed claims against the FBI under the Federal Tort Claims Act. They claim that Dr. Larry Nassar was not properly investigated by the FBI and continued to abuse girls and women while they were in his care.
Nassar, a former doctor for USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University, is spending what will likely be the rest of his life behind bars after being convicted of abusing dozens of female athletes under the guise of medical treatment. The FBI received reports in 2015 that Nassar had abused multiple gymnasts, but a Justice Department Inspector General report found that they did not open an investigation at that time.
“FBI officials who knew this and were in a position to end Nassar’s predation were grossly inept in their duties. This led to Nassar sexually assaulting approximately 100 girls and women between July 28, 2015, and September 12, 2016”. Five former gymnasts claimed that they conspired with Nassar to hide the known sexual abuse of foreseeable victims.
We reached out to the FBI for comment but they did not immediately respond.
Maroney said that “my fellow survivors” and he was betrayed by every institution supposed to protect them, the US Olympic Committee, USA Gymnastics, and the FBI. Justice and healing can only be achieved through the legal process.
Maroney and Biles, as well as fellow gymnast Maggie Nichols, recounted their experiences to Senate Judiciary Committee in September after the DOJ Inspector General’s report revealed that the FBI was inactive.
Biles said that he had read the OIG report at the time. We need to make clear that predators cannot be allowed to harm children.
Maroney was awarded Olympic gold in 2012. She shared her experience with lawmakers by telling them that she spent three hours talking with the FBI during the summer of 2015. They answered questions and discussed every case of abuse she had experienced.
Maroney said that she was stunned and deeply disappointed in the inspector general’s report after sharing her complete story of abuse to them back in 2015.
Chris Wray was the FBI Director and he apologized for his mistakes during a Senate hearing.
“It is especially disappointing that FBI agents failed to act in 2015 to stop this evil,” Wray said that it was unacceptable.
Merrick Garland, Attorney General, also apologized for his April actions before the senators.
“It is almost unspeakable,” Garland stated. We have made changes to our institutions to prevent this from happening again.
Neither Wray nor Garland were in office in 2015.
