Bond set at $1 million for ex-USA Gymnastics doctor
A magistrate in Michigan set bond at $1 million Tuesday for a former USA Gymnastics doctor who had been investigated by IndyStar and was arrested on charges of child sexual abuse.
The magistrate said allegations against Larry Nassar, team physician at four Olympic Games, involve "clear predatory behavior."
Nassar was arraigned on three counts of first degree criminal sexual conduct with a person under 13. Prosecutors said additional charges are possible. Nassar's lawyer, Matthew Newburg, declined comment to the Lansing State Journal after the hearing.
How Nassar, 53, knew the victim is unclear. The alleged abuse happened at the doctor's home in Holt, Mich., between 1998 and 2005, according to court records.
"Based on the probable cause statement... (the current charges) are not directly related to the defendant's professional experience as a physician for the gymnastics teams," magistrate Mark Blumer said. "This appears to be a victim who in no way was related to that activity."
Nassar faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. The doctor, a prime figure in IndyStar's ongoing investigation of USA Gymnastics and sexual abuse, was taken into custody Monday by officers with Michigan State University Police and Michigan State Police.
In September, IndyStar reported sexual abuse allegations against Nassar by two women, including an Olympic medal winner. After that story, 36 people filed sexual assault complaints with Michigan State University police at addresses where the doctor worked. The alleged abuse occurred from 1996 to 2016.
Nassar was a faculty member at Michigan State before being fired Sept. 20 for failing to meet "certain employment requirements.”
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette and Michigan State University Police Chief James Dunlap have a news conference scheduled at 1 p.m. Tuesday to discuss Nassar's case.
Newburg has said that Nassar, an osteopathic physician, is innocent of allegations reported in IndyStar, including digital penetration of patients. Newburg said Nassar used proper medical techniques. IndyStar also reported allegations of Nassar not using gloves and not having chaperones present.
Nassar worked 29 years for Indianapolis-based USA Gymnastics before leaving the national governing body in 2015 under disputed circumstances. USA Gymnastics said it cut ties with Nassar in response to “athlete concerns.” Nassar said he resigned voluntarily.
The majority of the alleged instances of sexual abuse occurred years before USA Gymnastics said it first became aware of complaints about Nassar and reported him to the FBI. The status of the federal investigation is unclear.
Rachael Denhollander, the first person to come forward to police and IndyStar, said Monday she was "brokenhearted to understand even more who this man really is."
"I have hope that justice is coming for him," said Denhollander, who agreed to be named by IndyStar. "I have hope that he will never again put another child through this nightmare. And I have hope for all of us who are no longer living in silence. This is only the beginning of justice, and only the beginning of hope."
Nassar also is named in two civil lawsuits in California with anonymous plaintiffs. One is an Olympic medal winner who alleges that she and other gymnasts were abused by Nassar and that USA Gymnastics “knew of, or had reason to know of” Nassar’s "propensity and disposition to engage in sexual misconduct with minors.”
The other plaintiff was a member of the U.S. Women's National Team from 2006 to 2011 and a world team member in 2010. She said she was sexually abused by Nassar over several years. That lawsuit also named the famed coaches Bela and Martha Karolyi, claiming they “turned a blind-eye to the sexual abuse being perpetrated” by Nassar, who in turn kept quiet about the couple’s “regime of fear, intimidation, and physical and emotional abuse” of young gymnasts.
USA Gymnastics is named in that lawsuit as well.
USA Gymnastics released a statement Monday about the charges against Nassar: "As we previously have made clear, when USA Gymnastics first learned of athlete concerns regarding Dr. Nassar, those concerns were reported to the FBI and Nassar was dismissed from further involvement with USA Gymnastics."
In a recorded interview Sept. 12, Nassar's then-attorney told IndyStar — with Nassar present — that the doctor never used a procedure involving vaginal penetration. But Nassar's current attorneys later said the doctor has used a legitimate medical procedure that includes manipulation that, under Michigan law, would be considered vaginal penetration.
"Dr. Nassar is not changing his story in any way," his attorneys said in a statement. They said Nassar showed police videos that demonstrate the procedure he used.
Michigan's attorney general took over the case from the Ingham County prosecutor in October, saying in a news release, "This complex case is believed to have crossed into multiple jurisdictions in Michigan, and possibly across state lines."
USA Gymnastics President Steve Penny in 2014 praised Nassar as being “instrumental to the success of USA Gymnastics at many levels, both on and off the field of play.” Nassar also is president of the Gymnastics Doctor Autism Foundation, which helps gymnastics clubs establish programs for special needs children.
In a school board election earlier this month in Holt, Mich., Nassar received 21 percent of the vote — 2,730 ballots. That was the case even though he had said he was withdrawing from the race but it was too late to get his name removed from the ballot. Nassar lost by more than 1,500 votes.
Lansing State Journal reporters Christopher Haxel and Matt Mencarini contributed to this story.
Call IndyStar reporter Mark Alesia at (317) 444-6311. Follow him on Twitter: @markalesia.
Call IndyStar reporter Tim Evans at (317) 444-6204. Follow him on Twitter: @starwatchtim.
Call IndyStar reporter Marisa Kwiatkowski at (317) 444-6135. Follow her on Twitter: @IndyMarisaK.
Share your experiences
IndyStar will continue to investigate this topic. If you have information you would like to share, please email investigations@indystar.com or call (317) 444-6262.
Get help
Anyone who has reason to believe a child is being abused or neglected should immediately call police or the child welfare agency. Survivors of sexual abuse can contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at (800) 656-4673 or online.rainn.org. For resources or more information on the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, visit https://www.rainn.org/.
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