Gymnastics abuse victims sue FBI for allegedly bungling investigation

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FBI Nassar investigation failure lawsuit overview: 

• Who: Abuse survivors of former U.S.A. gymnastics Larry Nassar filed a lawsuit against the FBI. 
• Why: Survivors claim two former members of the FBI failed to properly investigate Nassar after receiving credible allegations of abuse.
• Where: Nassar was a doctor for U.S.A. gymnastics.

Abuse survivors of former U.S.A gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar filed a lawsuit against the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), claiming the agency failed to properly investigate the imprisoned phyisician when it first received credible allegations of sexual abuse. 

The lawsuit comes only two weeks after the Justice Department declined to press charges against two former FBI agents accused of blundering an investigation into Nassar back in 2015, The New York Times reports. 

The former FBI agents had been accused of making false statements about the investigation by the Justice Department’s own watchdog, The New York Times reports. 

Further, FBI Director Christopher A. Wray reportedly testified before Congress in the fall that there were people within the agency who failed to stop Nassar when they had a chance.

More than 90 survivors now claim that the failed investigation allowed Nassar to sexually abuse more than 70 additional girls and women for longer than a year before he was finally arrested by authorities in Michigan in December 2016. 

Justice Department declined to prosecute former FBI agents

The Justice Department declined to press charges against the former FBI agents, however, citing a lack of evidence to warrant a federal criminal case, The New York Times reports. 

Among the survivors is Olympic gymnastics gold medalist Aly Raisman, who released a statement declaring that herself and other victims were let down by “every institution that was supposed to protect us.” 

While each survivor seeks a distinct amount in damages, the New York Times reports that the total is set to exceed $1 billion, according to a statement from lawyer John C. Manly.

Nassar was sentenced to up to 175 years in prison in January 2018 after being accused of molesting hundreds of female gymnasts, including many who competed in the 2012 and 2016 olympics. 

In December, USA Gymnastics reached a bankruptcy settlement worth $380 million with abuse survivors, insurers and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee after facing claims it was negligent in allowing Nassar’s abuse to occur. 

Have you been exposed to abuse while participating in a youth organization? You may qualify to join a free sexual abuse lawsuit investigation.

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