The Justice Department reached a settlement with the 139 people recognized as victims of former Olympic team member Larry Nassar. The man who was a doctor for the North American gymnasts for years was convicted of sexual abuse. The victims will be compensated with 138.7 million dollars.
This agreement between the federal government and the victims is the latest chapter in a long judicial battle surrounding the Nassar case. The gymnasts' former doctor is serving a life sentence for attacking female athletes on the Olympic team under the excuse of performing medical treatments. Nassar, 60, previously worked at Michigan State University and was a doctor for the Indianapolis-based US gymnastics team.
The compensation falls in part on the fault that the FBI admitted about its investigation between 2015 and 2016. The federal agency acknowledged errors in the way it carried out its work. Due to errors committed by the FBI, Nasser remained free until 2016.
"For decades, Lawrence Nassar abused his position, betraying the trust of those under his care and medical supervision, while evading accountability," said Acting Deputy Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. "These allegations should have been taken seriously from the beginning. While these settlements will not undo the damage Nassar inflicted, our hope is that they will help give the victims of his crimes some of the critical support they need to continue healing."
On the other hand, Michigan State University also agreed, through another process involving more than 300 plaintiffs, to pay immunizations for failing to prevent abuses committed by Nassar while he worked for the educational center.
