Simone BilesandAly Raismanare among the victims suing the FBI for over $1 billion over its handling of theLarry Nassar abuse scandal.
Lawyers representing at least 90 women announced the litigation Wednesday, multiple outlets includingThe New York TimesandNBC Newsreported.
The news follows a July 2021 Justice Department finding that the FBI made “fundamental” errors investigating the former Team USA gymnastics doctor’s decades of sexual abuse to women and girls, for which he was sentenced toup to 175 years in prisonin 2018.
The FBI also did not treat the case with “utmost seriousness,” the report fromthe Justice Department’s inspector generalsaid last summer.
According to theAssociated Press, plaintiffs in Wednesday’s claim include former Olympic gold medal-winning gymnasts Biles, Raisman, andMcKayla Maroney.
Scott Olson/Getty.Scott Olson/Getty
“If the FBI had simply done its job, Nassar would have been stopped before he ever had the chance to abuse hundreds of girls, including me,” former University of Michigan gymnast Samantha Roy told the AP.
“It is time for the FBI to be held accountable,” added Maggie Nichols, a former national champion gymnast for the University of Oklahoma.
In the years since Nassar was sentenced, Biles has pushed for national organizations to take greater accountability for their failures since she first came forward with her story.
In September 2021 sheemotionally told a Senate hearingthat the FBI, USAG, and the USOPC, had all “failed to do their jobs” and protect athletes.
Saul Loeb - Pool/Getty
Federal law states that the FBI now has a period of six months to respond to the claims filed Wednesday. The nature of the FBI’s response will also determine costly lawsuits will follow.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go torainn.org.
source: people.com
