Justice Department settles claims of mishandling Larry Nassar allegations

The Department of Justice on Tuesday said it had reached an agreement to settle 139 claims it mishandled sexual abuse allegations against former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar. According to the statement, the department will distribute $138.7 million in total to all the claimants.

What happened? Nassar retained his position as a doctor for the USA Gymnastics team for two decades while sexually abusing athletes. Authorities in Michigan eventually arrested Nassar in 2016. The Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General in 2021 reported that the FBI officials failed to respond to allegations against Nassar properly.

Did the Justice Department admit wrongdoing in its statement Tuesday? “These allegations should have been taken seriously from the outset,” Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer acknowledged.

Dig deeper: From the WORLD archives, read Mary Jackson’s report about how gymnastics still needs to improve its protection of young athletes.