The victims of former U.S. women's gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar will receive $ 380 million (336 million euros) after a deal with the Federation, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and their insurers, the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday.
This agreement, confirmed at a hearing in federal bankruptcy court in Indianapolis, ends a five-year legal battle.
Larry Nassar, 58, is serving a life sentence after being heavily convicted in 2017 and 2018 for sexually assaulting more than 250 gymnasts, most of them minors.
These assaults were committed for more than two decades while working for USA Gymnastic, but also at Michigan State University and in a gymnastics club.
The compensation that will be paid is one of the largest ever awarded to victims of sexual assault.
In 2018, Michigan State University had already disbursed the sum of $ 500 million (443 million euros), after concluding a compensation agreement with more than 300 victims.
Historic agreement
Far more famous, Olympic gold medalists Simone Biles, Aly Raisman and McKayla Maroney testified at a Senate hearing in September.
They had not only described the abuse suffered, but also blamed the officials of the American Gymnastics Federation, the USOPC and the Federal Police (FBI) for inaction to prevent the sexual assault committed by the ex-doctor.
VIDEO.
United States: Simone Biles denounces FBI inaction on sexual assault in gymnastics
“This historic agreement ends another chapter in the Larry Nassar scandal.
The survivors have now received a total of $ 880 million in compensation for their pain and suffering at the hands of this monster, with institutions that let him do it, ”responded John C. Manly, senior lawyer representing victims. .
"There is still one chapter to write, that of the criminal prosecution of FBI agents who did not investigate and arrest Nassar, as well as members of USA Gymnastics and the USOPC who did not investigate and arrest Nassar. conspired with them to obstruct the investigation, ”concluded John Manly.
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Rachael Denhollander, the first woman to publicly accuse Nassar in 2016, welcomed the deal.
“This chapter is finally closed.
Now the hard work of reform and reconstruction can begin.
Whether justice is done or not and a change is made depends on what will happen next ”.
The American Gymnastics Federation filed for bankruptcy
The American Gymnastics Federation filed for bankruptcy in 2018, drowned by a huge number of lawsuits brought by the victims of Nassar.
According to the WSJ, Monday's deal could be reached after insurance company TIG agreed to pay a "substantial portion" of the compensation.
The deal includes a $ 34 million payment directly from the USOPC, as well as a $ 6 million loan from the USOPC to USA Gymnastics.
Finally, as part of the agreement, a victim of these sexual assaults will be appointed to the board of directors of the American Gymnastics Federation.
