More Sexual Assault Charges Against Former USA Gymnastics Doc

A former gymnastics doctor at Michigan State University who previously treated some of America’s top Olympic gymnasts faces nearly two dozen new charges that he sexually molested patients while a doctor at MSU. Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette announced the new charges against Lawrence G. Nassar, who was fired by MSU in September, on Wednesday. They come on top of multiple state charges previously announced and federal pornograpy charges.

The 22 new charges of first-degree criminal sexual conduct — each punishable by up to life in prison — include five charges related to victims under the age of 13, and 17 that alleged Nassar took advantage of his position of authority to commit sexual assault, Schuette said in a statement. They took place during medical examinations at the MSU Sports Medicine Clinic, Twistars Gymnastics Club in Diamondale and at Nassar’s home medical treatment office in Holt, and included digital, vaginal and anal penetration, Schuette said.

Nassar, 53, “preyed on these young girls, he used his status and authority to engage in horrid sexual assaults under the guise of medical procedures,” Schuette said. “He violated the oath that every doctor takes to do no harm. The girls abused by Dr. Nassar were so young, so innocent that they didn’t fully understand what Nassar was doing to them until many years later. We have a duty to protect our children, and that’s what we are doing today.”

“The allegations of sexual assault against Dr. Nassar continue to increase nearly every day, and we remain constantly in contact with the victims as we move forward,” MSU Police Chief Jim Dunlap said in a statement. “Our priority is getting justice for the survivors and we are determined to make certain that occurs. I encourage anyone who may have been a victim of Larry Nassar to come forward by contacting the MSU Police Department.”

So far, dozens of women and girls have done so. MSU began investigating Nassar in August, a month before an explosive report by the Indianapolis Star over USA Gymnastics’ handling of sexual abuse allegations. Nassar, who traveled with Team USA in four Olympic Games, was named in the report. Michigan State fired Nassar in September.

Previously Reported

• Former Olympic Gymnasts Name MSU Doctor in Sex Abuse Complaints
• MSU Fires Doctor Accused in Olympic Gymnast Sex Abuse Scandal
• Ex-MSU Doctor in Olympic Sexual Abuse Scandal Charged
• 13 Women, Girls to Sue MSU Over Doc’s Alleged Assaults
• Feds Arrest Ex-MSU Doc on Child Porn Charges

More than 60 women — including Olympic gymnast Jamie Dantzscher and former Team USA members Jeanette Antolin and Jessica Howard, who discussed their allegations on “60 Minutes” — have stepped forward to accuse Nassar. He is named in lawsuits by more than 40 women and girls, along with MSU, USA Gymnastics and the Twistars gymnastics club.

In November, Nassar was charged with three counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct in the abuse of a child under the age of 13 in his home in Holt from 1998-2005. The complainant is now in her 20s.

A month later, the FBI said it had recovered some 37,000 images and videos of child pornography from computer devices seized in a raid on Nassar’s home. Some of the videos allegedly showed Nassar sexually assaulting girls under the age of 12, the FBI said.

Photo via Michigan State University