While Larry Nassar was sentenced to life in prison this February, the story of his abuse–most importantly how he got away with it for SO LONG–continues to unfold. To recap, Nassar’s molestation of over 300 women over the course of 20+ years in multiple institutions is one of the largest abuse cases in the history of the United States. Check back at previous blogs for more information on how we got here. Seven more plaintiffs have filed lawsuits this week and it is estimated that Nassar’s abuse will cost Michigan State more than the Sandusky case impacted Penn State.

The past two weeks have shown the true intentions of the leadership at both Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics. Just because Nassar is in prison does not mean that the case is closed; the people and institutions that enabled him have yet to be held accountable. Despite the fact that even after hundreds of women have come forward, both the presidents of MSU and USAG have failed to truly change the culture that enabled Nassar and silenced survivors over all these years.

What a month. Let’s overview.

Michigan State University

Interim President John Engler Lies, Offers Cash to Survivors

During last Friday’s MSU Board of Trustees meeting, survivor Kaylee Lorincz stated that interim President John Engler had offered her $250,000 to settle her complaint:

“Mr. Engler then looked directly at me and asked, ‘Right now, if I wrote you a check for $250,000 would you take it?’” Lorincz said. When I explained that it’s not about the money for me and that I just want to help, he said, ‘Well give me a number.’ He also said that he had met with Rachael Denhollander [the first survivor to come forward] and that she gave him a number.”

When she stated that the meeting was not about money, but to introduce herself, Engler told Lorincz that her civil suit was about money so they needed to discuss it.  Denhollander said that she had never met Engler and was “beyond disappointed” at his words.

Because she only had three minutes to speak at the meeting, Lorincz’s microphone was cut after reaching the allotted time, which prompted chants of “let her speak”; she continued reading her statement to the group, further explaining that Engler also said that he was angry that “because of one doctor” many other physicians are being “judged” at the university. When her mother pushed back, saying that former dean Strampel was arrested for assault, Engler reportedly rolled his eyes and said “that was a slap on the butt.” Strampel (see below) was arrested for soliciting naked photos from students, having pornography on his work computer, and for not following up on the standards put in place after Nassar’s Title IX investigation.

Following the meeting, MSU spokesperson Emily Guerrant told Lorincz’s mother (who was also in the meeting) that Engler was simply having a “philosophical discussion” with Lorincz and that the $250,000 offer was not formal. In emails to the Board of Trustees, Vice President and Special Counsel to Engler, Carol Viventi, stated that Lorincz’s statements were false, emails she later apologized for. On Friday, more that 100 people protested for Engler to resign. The Faculty Senate has also called for the resignation of the Board of Trustees.

Lorincz was abused by Nassar when she was 13 years old. You can hear her statement to the Board of Trustees here and her victim impact statement here.

William Strampel Arrested

What does it take to be fired by MSU?

Former Dean of the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine William Strampel became the first MSU employee to be charged with crimes related to Nassar after he was arrested for harassing, propositioning, sexually assaulting, and soliciting pornographic videos of female students. Nassar’s boss for over ten years, Strampel failed to follow up with procedures put in place after a Michigan State graduate filed a complaint that Nassar had assaulted her during an appointment on the campus. He also allowed Nassar to continue to see patients while he was under investigation in 2014.

Documents show that Strampel had been sexually harassing members of the university for years. His 2010 evaluation includes a statement that he had been “spoken to” about behavior that made others feel uncomfortable; many women complained he physically harassed them and made sexual comments during conversations:

“The affidavit cataloged complaints from three other students.

One of them said that after she was summoned by Strampel for falling asleep in class in 2011, he told her she would never make it in the profession if she didn’t dress sexier. Two years later, when she met with him to discuss complaints about her residency, he allegedly had her turn around so he could look at her body and told her: ‘What do I have to do to teach you to be submissive and subordinate to men?’

At a scholarship dinner in 2014, as she posed for a picture with Strampel, the dean grabbed her buttock and squeezed it, she told police. A few months later at a luncheon, she asked him to stop looking at her body and he allegedly replied, ‘Eye candy is eye candy.’”

In addition to asking students for nude photos, Strampel’s work computer also contained pornography, nude photos of MSU students, as well as a video of Nassar performing his treatment abuse on a woman. Again, this internal report was completed in 2010, meaning MSU leadership knew Strampel’s history of assaulting women and did nothing. You can read the full affidavit here.

An editorial for The Detroit News sums it up best:

“The bottom line: MSU had every reason to believe that it had a sexual predator on its payroll in the form of William Strampel and failed to act. The school’s neglect in 2010 contributed to Nassar’s ability to continue molesting women even after complaints were raised.”

Strampel had still been employed at MSU until February of this year.

Jeffery R. Kovan Still Employed

Former Director of MSU Sport Medicine, Jeffery Kovan, is one of the defendants in civil suits filed against Michigan State University. Originally “livid” when Nassar was fired in 2016, Kovan has supported Nassar’s treatments abuse:

According to Michigan Radio, the police report states Kovan said he was unsure if Nassar did anything wrong.

“Kovan stated that Nassar is a good person with a good core, who believes people are good,” according to the report. “Kovan stated the procedure and the things Nassar stated Nassar was doing were intended for the right reasons. … Kovan stated Nassar is too good of a person, with the right intentions, to end up in prison.”

Kovan is still employed at Michigan State.

Even More Cases of Covering Up Sexual Abuse

Instances of sexual assault by members of MSU’s football and basketball teams have surfaced this month. Three members (Josh King, Demetric Vance and Donnie Corley) of the university’s football team pleaded guilty to their charge of seducing a woman into performing oral sex, recording the act, and distributing the images over Snapchat. The players agreed to a plea bargain and will most likely include prison time or the requirement to register as a sex offender. The plaintiff has remained anonymous due to the treatment of the survivors of Nassar’s assault by MSU’s Board of Trustees:

“’Part of the reason she doesn’t want to go public at this point is what has happened to the women in the Nassar case,’” said Truszkowski, referring to the more than 200 victims in the Larry Nassar sex abuse scandal.

“’They have been crucified. Not by the media but by members of the Board (of Trustees), etc., and she is not willing to deal with that now,’” the lawyer said. “’They have been awful to those women … the comments that some of board members have made and the way MSU has treated them.’”

The players were dismissed from the team following a Title IX investigation and all three players have joined the football team at the Coahoma Community College in Mississippi. Their sentencing is on June 6th.

A suit filed two weeks ago alleges that Michigan State discouraged a student from reporting that she had been raped members of the university’s basketball team:

“The week after the alleged assault, the woman went to MSU’s Counseling Center and disclosed the incident to a staff member, the suit says. When she told the employee that the rape involved members of the basketball team, another person was brought into the room and they told the victim she could file a police report but cautioned her about the consequences of doing so, according to the complaint.

The MSUCC staff made it clear to (the victim) that if she chose to notify the police, she faced an uphill battle that would create anxiety and unwanted media attention and publicity as had happened with many other female students who were sexually assaulted by well-known athletes.”

The report states that three players introduced themselves to the victim and after buying her drinks, invited her to a party, explaining that her roommate was already there. Once they arrived, she states that she was unable to text correctly, felt “discombobulated” and believes she may have been drugged. Her roommate was not there. The report indicates that she was taken into a room and raped by the three players.

Unsure what to do, the victim was convinced by a friend to report the abuse to MSU’s counseling center. The staff reportedly discouraged her from reporting the abuse because the players “have big names on campus” and did not notify her of the options available to her. Because she did not know of the “no-contact” policy, she would see the players in the cafeteria and dorm; she later withdrew from MSU and after stating why, the university refunded her the tuition that had been paid.

The players are no longer at the university and the report does not name them specifically because the focus of the lawsuit is how the university responded to the complaint.

MSU Spends $500,000 to Monitor Survivors

This March, a public relations firm billed Michigan State University half a million dollars for tracking personal social media accounts for those involved in the Nassar case; this included the personal accounts for survivors, their families, and journalists covering the story. Previously and continuously done by the Office of Communication and Brand Strategy, the university hired the New York based Weber Shandwick firm to monitor social media conversations about MSU, including posts made by survivors.

Here is a screenshot of an email between Shandwick and MSU staff:

According to the Lansing State Journal, MSU has paid $9.69 million  to outside firms ” in connection with work on lawsuits or communications strategy related to Nassar’s criminal case and related fallout.” This does not include various other law firms working with the university, including a New York firm that has billed MSU $5.4 million, among others.

Former President Lou Anna Simon Still Receives Benefits from MSU

Former MSU President Lou Anna Simon still retains part of her salary, is receiving a new office, and has the opportunity to join the faculty at the university. Simon resigned in January following pressure from students, faculty, and the Board of Trustees for mishandling the allegations of abuse against Nassar.

Although she resigned after more than a decade as president, Simon will receive a new office in a historic building that was recently renovated for nearly $1 million. Due to her tenured professorship with MSU, Simon still earns 75% of her $750,000 salary for the next twelve months and can return to the university as a professor where she will earn her full presidential salary for the first year and 75% of the salary each year after.

With over 250 confirmed survivors, Simon’s lack of leadership could cost the university at least $1 billion in settlements.

USA Gymnastics

USAG Lies About the Use of NDAs

In December 2017, reports surfaced that USA Gymnastics paid 2012 Olympian McKayla Maroney $1.25 million in exchange for her silence regarding the years of abuse she suffered from their official team doctor. This month, USAG CEO Kerry Perry stated to Congress that there have been no other NDAs between the governing body and athletes.

However, the OC Register found proof that two other athletes had signed agreements with USAG after they were sexually abused by their coach:

“But listed among the ‘AGREEMENTS’ in the out-of-court settlements between USA Gymnastics and the two gymnasts is ‘Non-Disclosure,’ in which each woman ‘agrees to keep the amount paid and the terms of the Agreement confidential, and not disclose it to anyone other than her immediate family and any accountants or taxing authorities with a need to know.’

USA Gymnastics paid each of the gymnasts $100,000 as part of the late-2000s settlements. The former U.S. junior national team member said her coach began grooming her when she was 11, forced her to perform oral sex when she was 12 and continued to sexually abuse her and her teammate for several years. At one point, the coach had sex with both girls, then 13 or 14, at the same time while his young children slept in the next room, she said.”

The coach was banned. USAG also chose to investigate the personal lives of the two gymnasts, including whether they had cheated on their boyfriends or were “promiscuous”. As part of the agreement, then CEO Steve Penny was required to create a 1-800 hotline for gymnasts to report abuse; this was never implemented. Former U.S. national team members Jennifer Sey and Jessica Armstrong, along with 18 other athletes, asked for the hotline to be established in 2012. Again, it was never started.

USAG responded that they did not technically lie to Congress because they were asked about the use of NDAs in investigations, not the use of NDAs in terms of settlements.

Jordyn Wieber Files Lawsuit Against USAG and MSU

This week Olympian Jordyn Wieber filed a lawsuit against MSU, the USOC, and USAG for hiding Larry Nassar’s abuse from the public:

“My teammates and I were subjected Larry Nassar every single month at the national team training center in Texas. He was the only male allowed to be present in the athlete dorm rooms to do whatever he wanted. He was allowed to treat us in hotel rooms alone and without any supervision. Nobody was protecting us from being taken advantage of. Nobody was even concerned whether or not we were being sexually abused. I was not protected. My teammates were not protected. My parents trusted USA Gymnastics and Larry Nassar to take care of me and we were betrayed by both. And now, the lack of accountability from USAG and Michigan State, have caused me and many other girls to remain shameful, confused, and disappointed.”

In addition to the protection of Nassar’s abuse, Wieber also states that USAG destroyed her medical records in order to conceal that the team doctor had treated abused her. When she asked for her medical records, USAG sent the 2011 World Champion a collection of emails and forms about her medical care:

Both USAG and MSU “applauded” Wieber’s bravery but did not comment on the medical records.

Nassar began abusing Wieber at age 14 and her statement can be found here.

McKayla Maroney Speaks

This week Mckayla Maroney spoke publicly about surviving Nassar’s abuse at the New York Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children and with the Wall Street Journal.

“My team won gold medals in spite of USA Gymnastics and the Olympic Committee. They don’t build champions, they break them. But we’re changing that…. USAG, MSU and USOC continued to look away to protect their reputations. All they cared about was money, medals and it didn’t seem like anything else. They demanded excellence from me, but they couldn’t give it to us.”

In the absolutely heartbreaking Wall Street Journal article Maroney describes that as Nassar’s “favorite”, she was abused hundreds of times, including once when she was drugged and woke up to Nassar straddling her in her hotel room. She described that without Nassar, she would have “starved” during the 2012 Olympics; he gave the gymnasts food when it was withheld from them at the National Training Center (the Karolyi Ranch) and during competitions. She also states that she had told the other gymnasts and coach John Geddert about the abuse, which was furthered corroborated by Aly Raisman.

“‘In my whole gymnastics career, I was trained to be quiet.’ Ms. Maroney said in her New York appearance this week. She said her parents, like those of teammates, are struggling with guilt for having failed to recognize Nassar’s abuse. ‘I, at times,’ she said, ‘Question whether my gymnastics career was worth it.’”

Marcia Frederick’s Coach Confirms Abuse

The first American woman to win a world championship title in gymnastics, Marcia Frederick, came forward earlier this year with reports that her former coach, Richard Carlson, forced her to perform sex acts on him when she was sixteen years old. Frederick publicly told her story because she was concerned that the complaints she filed in 2011 and 2015 to USA Gymnastics were ignored.

This week, an attorney for Carlson proposed a settlement to USA Gymnastics: Carlson would admit to having sex with Frederick and accept a lifetime ban from the sport, as long as the ban was not made public.

Frederick states that after she rejected the proposal, Carlson changed his mind and stated that the abuse never occurred:

“I will never be part of an agreement where a coach (admits) to having sex with a teenager but gets a deal where no one knows. My job now is to protect other kids from this happening to them. What good is it to have a banned list if you’re not going to make it public?”

The Karolyis

The Deposition 

This month Bela and Martha Karolyis’ 2017 deposition was obtained by the Dallas Morning News. Both coaches have numerous lawsuits against the couple regarding the enabling of Larry Nassar to abuse gymnasts at their ranch in Texas–the then official training center for USA Gymnastics. The lawsuit by former gymnast Mattie Larson states that the enabling was created by the toxic environment of the training center and the coaches turned a blind eye Nassar, who would come to the bedrooms of the athletes alone.

Martha claims that Nassar was “seldom” at the Ranch and that the responsibility for the safety of the athletes fell solely on USAG. Former athletes and trainers have testified that he was a fixture at training camps, which were also previously called “death camps” by the athletes. Larson, Jeanette Antolin, Raisman, and Maroney among others have stated that they were abused at the home of the Karolyis. When asked about security at the Ranch, Martha stated :“I — I really wasn’t in charge of organizing that. I don’t know. It’s — I think USA Gymnastics took care of it.” and later said that she was not responsible for monitoring the cabins where the gymnasts slept and where Nassar performed his treatment abuse.

While Martha downplayed her role as the National Team Coordinator, the voices of the gymnasts show how involved she was with every aspect of not just their training, but their lives while at the Ranch:

“’Martha was the national team coordinator but the way I saw it, she sort of had control over anything and everything that went on at the ranch,’ said 2012 Olympic gold medalist Jordyn Wieber. ‘She knew what was going on every second in the gym. She knew how many routines that we did. She knew what we were eating. She knew our treatments. So it was just, when you go there, you know that Martha is watching. Everything you’re doing, she’s watching.’”

Martha was the National Team Coordinator from 2001-2016 and was notorious for controlling many aspects of the gymnasts’ lives. The conditions at the Ranch helped create a culture of silence among the athletes; Martha was known to not favor gymnasts who complained or spoke up; Aly Raisman stated that she and her teammates were even afraid to ask for soap or better food. In her impact statement, Mattie Larson said she wasn’t given medical attention and was forced to use a rolling chair because the location lacked a wheelchair. The seclusion of the Ranch–parents were not allowed and there was no cell phone service–contributed to the isolation that allowed Nassar to thrive.

This week the Karolyis gave an interview with NBC News about their lack of knowledge regarding Nassar’s abuse at the home. Bela stated: “The whole thing is just like an explosion, a bomb exploding. Boom.”

The Karolyis will appear on an episode of Dateline this Sunday.

John Geddert

More Survivors of Abuse Come Forward

In an amazing article by CNN, seven former Geddert gymnasts and their families detail the physical and mental abuse they suffered at Geddert’s gym, Twistars:

“One says he injured her so badly it ended her career at age 17. Another says he failed to get her medical attention after she broke her neck at practice, an injury she said the doctor told her could have left her paralyzed. A third gymnast said Geddert made her train on a broken leg for nearly a month when she was 13. Two teenage gymnasts attempted suicide. All the young women who spoke to CNN said he repeatedly disregarded their injuries.

‘John was always scary, even when he wasn’t my coach yet,’ said gymnast Bailey Lorencen. ‘He would be throwing water bottles at the girls in the gym and get in their face and scream at them.’

Geddert coached through fear, his gymnasts say – and his abuse often led them to seek emotional comfort with Nassar, the doctor at Twistars.”

Geddert was suspended by USAG and is currently under investigation.

Geddert Under Lawsuit by Insurance Company

State Farm has filed a lawsuit against Geddert alleging that they are not responsible for paying the $75,000 worth of legal damages to the women who were sexually abused by Nassar in the Twistars gym. In their statement, State Farm notes that they do not have to cover the gym because Geddert ignored repeated warnings of Nassar’s abuse.

Geddert’s attorney states that the claims brought forward against the former Olympic coach are invalid due to the statute of limitations.

Everything is a dumpster fire. What do we do?

In an article for Slate, Christina Cauterucci sums things up for us:

“MSU and USA Gymnastics have demonstrated what it looks like when powerful institutions make money off the bodies of young girls, prioritize that money and reputation over safety, then switch gears and throw a lot of money at the problem when it all blows up in their faces. Neither organization wanted to spend the time, energy, and human capital it would have taken to thoroughly investigate Nassar and other abusive coaches, slog through any legal challenges the men brought, and replace the offenders with nonabusive employees. Now, they’re on the hook for more money, more legal challenges, and more public scorn than before—plus, it bears mentioning, hundreds of girls were abused in their respective periods of inaction.”

The key here is to keep these institutions on the hook. The fact that these new people in leadership positions (Perry for USAG, Engler for MSU) are continuously making the exact. same. stances on abuse proves that the culture absolutely has not changed. That same culture that created an atmosphere for abuse, that enabled Nassar to hurt hundreds, if not thousands, of people even after multiple people came forward.

Larry Nassar may be the face of one of the largest abuse cases in the history of the United States, but don’t forget all the people that ignored complaints and stood by him even when they were told the truth. Okay, the Karolyis may have not known that Nassar was abusing gymnasts at the their home. But the culture that created that behavior to happen for over 20 years–silencing athletes, isolating girls, promoting competing with injuries, and even monitoring their food intake–those things all allowed a man who was not even licensed to practice medicine in Texas to abuse children under the guise of medical care at the National Training Center for USA Gymnastics.

The sexism in the coverage of this case, along with the silence from NCAA, is deafening. For reference, when Jerry Sandusky was accused of molesting 45 children, their legendary football coach Joe Paterno was forced to resign before the end of the season and the NCAA initially imposed some of the most severe fines in the history of collegiate sports: a four year post-season ban, $60 million fine, and a loss of 40 scholarships. When asked about the MSU case, the president of the NCAA Mark Emmert stated:

“’I don’t have enough information [on] the details of what transpired at the school right now,’ Emmert said via ESPN. ‘That’s obviously something that the university itself is looking deeply into. You hear that testimony — it just breaks your heart when you look at it, but I can’t offer an opinion at this time. It’s clearly very, very disturbing, and I know the leadership there is equally shaken by it.’”

Keep your “heartbreaking testimony” and actually hold the institution responsible. What other details do you need?! For reference, only one person has been fired from MSU and arrested.

The Athletic also disclosed that Mark Emmert knew of 37 cases of abuse at Michigan State University as far back as 2010.

In her victim impact statement, Morgan McCaul says:

“I remember when the Penn State scandal was talked about at length for months and months and even years. This is nearly five times the size and no one knows about it […] I think it plays into the importance that we put on male athletics versus female athletics. This is a case of gymnasts and dancers and figure skaters, not football players or basketball players. I think it’s sexism, to be honest. There’s no other explanation for why this many women have come forward and it’s not big news.”

Larrissa Boyce also added:

“Don’t forget the victims, their stories or their voices. Don’t forget about us when it’s over. Don’t forget those truths that you heard these past weeks..don’t forget me, don’t forget my story, don’t forget the 265 ‘me toos.’”

Don’t forget them. Keep pushing for change.

Required Reading: Why We Treat Victims of Larry Nassar Differently than the Victims of Jerry Sandusky by Marcie Bianco

Extra special ❤ ❤ to Gymcastic for their continued coverage.