Michigan State suspend payments to Larry Nassar victims amid claims of fraud allegations
In May, Michigan State University agreed to pay $500 million to the accusers of sexual predator Larry Nassar. They agreed to pay $425 million to the 332 people who had come forward with sexual assault accusations against Nassar at that time, and they agreed to set aside $75 million to protect against future allegations against him.
However, the university have now suspended their payments from this $500 million fund due to allegations of fraud. Earlier this week, they were notified by the firm that manages the Healing Assistance Fund that potentially fraudulent claims had been made. Payments have been halted so that authorities can investigate these allegations.
The 54-year-old disgraced former USA Gymnastics and Michigan State physician has been accused of sexual assault under the guise of medical treatment by well over 300 people at this point. His predatory actions took place for more than two decades, and he is set to spend the rest of this life in prison as a result of it.
This past December, Nassar was sentenced to 60 years in federal prison on three child pornography charges. He is currently serving this sentence at United States Penitentiary, Tucson in Tucson, Arizona, where he was just physically assaulted earlier this week after he was released to the general population of the prison for the first time since arriving there over five months ago.
Nassar was also given two state prison sentences on sexual assault charges. In January, he was charged with seven counts of sexual assault and issued a state prison sentence for between 40 and 175 years as a result of it following a seven-day sentencing hearing in an Ingham County, Michigan courtroom during which 169 victim impact statements were read in front of him.
In February, Nassar was charged with three additional counts of sexual assault and issued another state prison sentence for between 40 and 125 years as a result of it following a three-day sentencing hearing in an Eaton County, Michigan courtroom during which 65 more victim impact statements were read in front of him.
Last month, Nassar was also charged with six counts of second-degree sexual assault of a child in Texas stemming from the Károlyi Ranch investigation conducted by the Walker County Sheriff's Office and the Texas Rangers. He has not been given any additional time in prison as a result of these charges.
Many of those who have accused Nassar of sexual assault are female gymnasts, including Olympic champion gymnasts Simone Biles, Gabby Douglas, McKayla Maroney, Aly Raisman and Jordyn Wieber.