Numerous assault victims, including former Olympic gymnasts and gold medalist Simone Biles, are suing the FBI for more than $1 billion for failing to stop sports doctor Larry Nassar, according to attorneys on Wednesday.
There is little question that FBI agents were aware of Nassar’s alleged molestations of gymnasts in 2015, yet they did nothing to stop him from continuing to prey on young women and girls for more than a year.
Gymnast Maggie Nichols, who represented Oklahoma in 2017–19 and won a national championship, stated, “It is time for the FBI to be held accountable.”
The government organization has six months to respond to the tort suit in accordance with federal law. Depending on the FBI’s response, lawsuits may follow. Former FBI agents who failed to launch an inquiry right away will not face criminal prosecution, the Justice Department declared in May.
Olympic gold medalists Biles, Aly Raisman, and McKayla Maroney are among the roughly 90 claims, according to the California legal firm Manly, Stewart & Finaldi.
Samantha Roy, a former University of Michigan gymnast, stated, “If the FBI had merely done its job, Nassar would have been stopped before he ever had the chance to harm hundreds of girls, including myself.”
When a lesser number of accusations were made in April, the FBI chose not to respond, instead citing Director Christopher Wray’s testimony before Congress in 2021.
