Who is Larry Nassar? All you need to know about former US women's gymnastics team coach who was sentenced to prison after s*x abuse scandal
Larry Nassar is a former sports medicine physician who worked with the United States women's national gymnastics team for 18 years. He served as a team doctor from 1996 to 2014.
In 2016, Nassar was charged with sexually assaulting at least 265 young women and girls under the guise of medical treatment. After pleading guilty for possession of child pornography, he was sentenced to 60 years in federal prison on December 7, 2017. Several Olympic and United States women's national team gymnasts were victims of his assault.
On November 22, 2016, Nassar was charged with several state charges, including 22 incidents of first-degree criminal sexual conduct with minors. The charges accused Larry Nassar of molesting seven girls under the pretense of providing medical treatment on the Michigan State University campus, from where he graduated as a doctor in Osteopathic medicine. The Michigan State judiciary has sentenced him to an additional 40-175 years in prison.
A former gymnast and a lawyer, Rachael Denhollander, was the first gymnast to accuse Nassar of sexual abuse, 16 years after she had been first abused. After Denhollander's allegations, a number of gymnasts, including Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, Maggie Nichlos, Gabby Douglas, Jordyn Wieber, and McKayla Maroney accused Nassar.
Simone Biles and Aly Raisam testified during Larry Nassar's investigation
Renowned American gymnasts Simone Biles, Aly Raisam, McKayla Maroney, and Maggie Nichlos testified during Larry Nassar's sexual abuse scandal on September 15, 2021, at the Dirksen Senate Office Building in Washington.
The gymnasts testified about the abuse they experienced at the hands of Nassar, and the FBI’s delayed approach when handling their cases.
Raisam had initially chosen to not appear for the hearing, but after watching the impact of the situation, she decided to appear before the Senate and courageously read her statement for 13 minutes.
"We are here. We have our voices, and we are not going anywhere. I am here to face you, Larry, so you can see I have regained my strength, that I am no longer a victim. I am a survivor," Raiman testified.
Biles testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee accusing Nassar as well as the USA Gymnastics.
“I blame Larry Nassar and I also blame an entire system that enabled and perpetrated his abuse,” Biles said.