Female Gymnasts File >$1B Lawsuits Against the FBI Over Nassar Scandal
On June 8, a superb lineup of gymnastic stars—Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, McKayla Maroney, and Maggie Nichols—plus over 90 other women, launched federal tort claims against the FBI. They accuse the agency of negligently letting Larry Nassar run amok.
What the Claims Are About
- Easier compensation process. The lawsuits claim that the FBI handled credible complaints poorly and ignored evidence in July 2015.
- Alleged silence. If the FBI had acted, the world might not have seen Nassar’s crimes flash in 2016.
- $1 billion‑plus in damages. The total seeks surpasses US$1 billion (S$1.4 billion).
Survivors’ Voices
During a 2021 Senate hearing, the Olympians laid bare how the FBI missed the mark—Biles pointing out the agency’s blind eye, while McKayla Maroney shared her own scorcher, sparking regulatory scrutiny.
“We’re here because the FBI chose not to do what was right,” one athlete cited the civil system as a last resort.
Key Findings of the Inspector General Report
- Michael Horowitz identified two former agents for negligence: W. Jay Abbott and Michael Langeman.
- Abbott breached ethics by going after an Olympic job while still investigating Nassar.
- Langeman did his report over a year late, with “misstatements and omissions.”
- Both faced consequences: Abbott retired (2018), Langeman fired (last fall).
What’s Next?
Two weeks after the Justice Department decided to keep agents from criminal charges, these lawsuits give survivors a new shot at accountability. Rachael Denhollander, who was the first to shout out Nassar’s abuse, didn’t sign the current paperwork, but she celebrated the effort of the 90‑plus women.
In the end, the burden of change falls on those who fought back—on them we can depend.
