US to pay $100 million to Nassar abuse survivors in US Gymnastics scandal. Who is Larry Nassar?

C. A. Bridges, USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida

Nearly three years after a Justice Department report criticized FBI officials in Indianapolis for failing to respond to allegations of abuse by former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar, the department has agreed to pay $100 million to more than 100 survivors who came forward, a person familiar with the matter confirmed to USA TODAY.

Nassar, now being held in a Florida federal penitentiary, abused hundreds of women during his time as an assistant professor at Michigan State University and his 18 years as the team doctor, including Olympic champions Simone Biles, Aly Raisman and McKayla Maroney. He was sentenced to essentially a lifetime prison sentence on sexual assault and child pornography charges.

The settlement, which has not been finalized or officially confirmed but was reported by The Wall Street Journal, also brings the liability payouts in legal cases brought by Nassar's victims to nearly $1 billion.

A spokesperson said the Justice Department had no comment.

Who is Larry Nassar?

Larry Nassar, who was convicted of sexually abusing female gymnasts, was stabbed multiple times during an altercation with another incarcerated person at a federal prison in Florida, the Associated Press reported.
Larry Nassar, who was convicted of sexually abusing female gymnasts, was stabbed multiple times during an altercation with another incarcerated person at a federal prison in Florida, the Associated Press reported.

Lawrence Gerard Nassar, 59, is a former sports medicine osteopathic physician and, for 18 years, was the team doctor of the United States women's national gymnastics team.

Nassar was an assistant professor at Michigan State University, worked with a local gymnastics training club and was on the USA Gymnastics national team medical staff as a trainer when he was accused of sexual abuse in 1994 by a gymnast who later became an Olympic medalist. More reports came in the late 90s and early 2000s, including an accusation that Nassar had been abusing the 6-year-old daughter of a family friend.

In 2014 Michigan State University cleared Nassar of any wrongdoing three months after a recent graduate accused him of sexual assault during an examination.

FBI officials investigated reports of abuse in 2015 but a later Justice Department report revealed that the agents made several grave errors, failed to report the allegations to the appropriate agency and "conducted limited follow-up," leading to "a delay in over a year" in Nassar's conviction.

The Indianapolis Star, already investigating coverups in sports medicine in 2016, was contacted by former gymnast Rachael Denhollander. They published her testimonial publicly accusing Nassar of sexual abuse and opened up a larger, months-long scandal of doctors, trainers and coaches abusing young, often underage gymnasts. USA Gymnastics cut ties with Nassar and MSU fired him.

More gymnasts came forward, ultimately more than 265 of them, and they detailed for reporters, Congress and the courts the abuse they suffered. At his sentencing 156 survivors gave emotional impact statements, telling Nassar to his face what his abuse had done to their lives.

Nassar pleaded guilty to federal pornography charges — according to the FBI, over 37,000 images of child sexual abuse material and video of Nassar reportedly molesting underage girls — and to multiple child sexual abuse charges in two Michigan counties.

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What did Larry Nassar do to gymnasts?

According to witnesses, Nassar would digitally penetrate girls during physical therapy, describing it as using a "pressure point" for pain relief. Nassar also was accused of touching girls inappropriately, groping breasts and legs, and talking about oral sex.

Often the child's parent was in the room while he was doing it, witnesses said, but Nassar would turn to block what he was doing from their sight.

How many athletes said they were abused by Larry Nassar?

Over 265 athletes, including former USAG national team members Jessica Howard, Jamie Dantzscher, Morgan White, Jeanette Antolin, McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman, Maggie Nichols, Gabby Douglas, Simone Biles, Jordyn Wieber, Sabrina Vega, Ashton Locklear, Kyla Ross, Madison Kocian, Amanda Jetter, Tasha Schwikert, Mattie Larson, Bailie Key, Kennedy Baker, Alyssa Baumann, and Terin Humphrey, came forward to accuse Nassar of child sexual abuse, often under the guise of medical treatment.

What charges were Larry Nassar found guilty of?

Nassar pleaded guilty in 2017 to federal child pornography charges and multiple state sexual abuse charges. He was sentenced in three separate trials.

The federal judge overseeing the cases said the federal time would be served consecutively to his state sentences, effectively resulting in a life sentence.

"He has demonstrated that he should never again have access to children," U.S. District Judge Janet Neff said.

What prison is Larry Nassar in?

USP Coleman II, a high-security U.S. penitentiary, is part of the Coleman Federal Correctional Complex in Sumterville, Florida, about 50 northwest of Orlando and 60 miles northeast of Tampa.

USP Coleman II is for male offenders and houses 1,214 total inmates and was completed in 2004 as an expansion of USP Coleman I. Other facilities at the complex include the low-security federal correctional institute FCI Coleman Low and the medium-security FCI Coleman Medium. Nassar is in the high-security USP-2 facility.

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Was Larry Nassar stabbed in a Florida prison?

Fellow inmate Shane McMillan, 49, stabbed Nassar six times in the chest and twice each in the neck and back, according to Joe Rojas, president of Local 506, the union that represents Coleman employees.

McMillan told prison officials that he attacked Nassar in his cell after the former U.S. women’s gymnastics team doctor made a crude comment about wanting to see girls play while watching Wimbledon coverage on television. Lifesaving measures were immediately initiated, according to a statement by the Florida Board of Prisons, and Nassar was treated at a local hospital for his injuries, which included a collapsed lung.

A person familiar with the matter told the Associated Press that McMillan, attacked Nassar in his call with a makeshift weapon multiple times before four other inmates pulled him away. The prison's surveillance cameras do not point inside cells.

This marked the second time Nassar was attacked in prison. Six months after his sentencing, Nassar was assaulted in a prison in Tucson, Arizona before he was moved to a holding facility in Oklahoma City. He was eventually transferred to the Florida prison.

When does Larry Nassar get out of prison?

Effectively never.

Nassar was sentenced to 60 years in federal prison on child pornography charges, to be released on Jan. 30, 2068. But then he will immediately serve another 40 to 175 years in Michigan State Prison for sexually abusing children.

Contributing:Steve Gardner, Nancy Armour, Cydney Henderson, Josh Peter, Tom Schad, USA TODAY; The Associated Press

This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Larry Nassar abuse survivors settlement likely worth $100 million

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