The U.S. Justice Department has reached a preliminary agreement to pay around $100 million to settle claims with approximately 100 individuals who allege they were sexually assaulted by former sports doctor Larry Nassar. This settlement, which has not yet been finalized or disbursed, comes after an internal investigation revealed that FBI agents mishandled abuse allegations against Nassar more than a year before his arrest in 2016.
The settlement, first reported by The Wall Street Journal, is a response to claims filed against the government regarding a 15-month period during which FBI agents in Indianapolis and Los Angeles were aware of allegations against Nassar but failed to take action. The Justice Department inspector general confirmed significant errors in the handling of the case.
Larry Nassar, who worked as a sports doctor at Michigan State University and for USA Gymnastics, is currently serving a lengthy prison sentence for sexually assaulting female athletes, including prominent Olympic gymnasts like Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, and McKayla Maroney, under the guise of medical treatment.
FBI Director Christopher Wray publicly apologized to the survivors during a Senate hearing in 2021, acknowledging the agency's failure to intervene in 2015 when they had the opportunity to stop Nassar's abuse. The survivors' legal claims against the government have led to this significant settlement.
In addition to the Justice Department's agreement, Michigan State University has agreed to pay $500 million to over 300 women and girls who were victims of Nassar's abuse. USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee have also reached a $380 million settlement in response to the widespread allegations.
