Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles and dozens of other gymnasts who say she was sexually assaulted by Larry Nassar have sued the FBI for more than $ 1 billion, lawyers said Wednesday.
Biles and his colleagues blame the government agency for allowing the sports doctor to continue his criminal activities despite the fact that it has already received complaints against him.
No doubt FBI agents knew in 2015 that Nassar, now incarcerated, was accused of attacking gymnasts, but they did not intervene. Thus he was able to continue his criminal activities with the young women for more than a year. He pleaded guilty in 2017 and is serving decades in prison.
It’s time for the FBI to take responsibilitysaid Maggie Nichols, a champion gymnast at the University of Oklahoma from 2017 to 2019.
Under the federal Criminal Code, the U.S. government agency has six months to respond to complaints filed Wednesday. Prosecutions could begin, depending on the FBI’s response.
Among the 90 plaintiffs were Biles, Aly Raisman and McKayla Maroney, all Olympic gold medalists, according to California law firm Manly, Stewart & Finaldi.
” If only the FBI had done their job, Nassar would have been arrested before he could attack hundreds of young women, including me. “
An email seeking comment was sent to the FBI.
Complaints were not followed up
USA Gymnastics, based in Indianapolis, Indiana, told FBI agents in 2015 that three gymnasts were attacked by Nassar, a team doctor. The FBI, however, has not launched a formal investigation or notified local or federal authorities in the state of Michigan, according to the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Justice, an internal watchdog.
FBI agents in Los Angeles began a sex tourism investigation against Nassar in 2016 and interviewed several victims, but did not inform Michigan authorities, the Office of the Inspector General said.
Larry Nassar was finally arrested in the fall of 2016 after an investigation by the Michigan State University Police Department. He is a doctor at this university.
The Michigan Attorney General’s Office later filed assault charges against Nassar, while federal prosecutors in Grand Rapids, Michigan filed child pornography charges against him.
In a speech in the U.S. Congress last year, FBI Director Christopher Wray admitted major mistakes.
I’m sorry that the people at the FBI, who had a chance to stop this monster in 2015, failed. And this is unforgivable, Wray told the victims at a hearing before the U.S. Senate.
The Justice Department said in May that it would not file criminal charges against former officers who provided incomplete or inadequate answers during the Office of Inspector General’s investigation.
Michigan State University, which is also accused of turning a blind eye to Nassar’s actions, has agreed to pay $ 500 million to more than 300 young women attacked in recent years by the former sports doctor.
USA Gymnastics and the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee have settled the dispute worth $ 380 million.
Associated Press
Source: Radio-Canada
