USA Gymnastics complicit in Larry Nassar assaults? Olympian, McKayla Maroney, says Association gagged her from disclosing sexual abuse with bumper secret settlement
McKayla Maroney says USA Gymnastics tried to keep her from disclosing sexual abuse with secret settlement
Maroney claims USA Gymnastics claiming the organizations tried to keep her from speaking out about the “depraved, repeated, and serial sexual abuse and molestations” she suffered as a teen patient of team doctor, Lawrence ‘Larry’ Nassar
Alleges she signed a non-disclosure agreement as part of a $1.5m financial settlement to keep her from speaking out about Nassar
Nasser, a sports doctor is convicted for decades of molesting athletes and students – his patients, while working for USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University
Some of the patients were minors at the time of the attacks
Nassar pled guilty to multiple charges of sexual assault and will face at least 25 years in prison
The disgraced doctor was earlier sentenced to 60 years in prison after he pled guilty Nov., to sexually assaulting numerous female gymnasts and possessing child pornography
McKayla Maroney, seen at the 2013 P&G Gymnastics Championship held in Hartford, Conn., 15th August 2013, claims USA Gymnastics tried to shut up with a ‘bribe’
Olympic gymnast McKayla Maroney filed a lawsuit Wednesday against Michigan State University, the United States Olympic Committee and USA Gymnastics claiming the organizations tried to keep her from speaking out about the “depraved, repeated, and serial sexual abuse and molestations” she suffered as a teenager from team doctor Larry Nassar.
Dr. Larry Nassar appeared in court for a plea hearing in Lansing, Mich., Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2017. The sports doctor was accused of molesting girls while working for USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University.
He pled guilty to multiple charges of sexual assault and will face at least 25 years in prison.
Olympic gold medal winning gymnast McKayla Maroney – ‘USA Gymnastics paid me not to divulge details of sexual abuse committed by former team doctor Larry Nassar’
The gold medalist alleges she signed a non-disclosure agreement as part of a financial settlement to keep her from speaking out about Nassar—as part of the USOC’s effort to conceal “known and suspected sexual abusers,” according to reports.
Maroney, a California resident, claimed that USA Gymnastics paid her the settlement—which was in violation of California law—in return for her keeping quiet about Nassar’s abuse.
Maroney’s lawsuit claims USA Gymnastics “coerced” her into signing the confidential settlement as she was still reeling from the sexual abuse, and “in need of funds to pay for psychological treatment for her worsening psychological condition.”
The agreement allegedly, included a “non-disparagement clause and confidentiality provision,” which could penalize her $100,000 if she spoke of the abuse or the settlement.
The Olympians’s attorney contends that the settlement was illegal, as California law prohibits confidential civil agreements involving potential felony sex crimes.
Related:
Former US Olympics team doctor, Larry Nassar, admits to years of sexually assaulting patients! Faces 25 years in jail, more charges to follow
The documents do not disclose the amount of the settlement, but sources familiar with the deals say Maroney received $1.25 million last winter, The Los Angeles Times reported.
Maroney’s lawsuit seeks to nullify the agreement.
Larry Nassar [photo], has been convicted on charges of sexually assaulting six young gymnasts who said he molested them while they were seeking treatment for various injuries.
Nassar was sentenced to 60 years in prison after he pleaded guilty in November to sexually assaulting numerous female gymnasts and possessing child pornography.
Though Nassar was not charged with sexually abusing Maroney, she provided a victim impact statement before his sentencing.
“He abused my trust, he abused my body and he left scars on my psyche that may never go away,” Maroney said in the statement. “He needs to be behind bars so he will never prey upon another child.”
The suit details Nassar’s abuse of Maroney which allegedly took place on dozens of occasions across three continents at “the most prestigious gymnastics competitions in the World.”
The abuse took place under the guise of medical treatment, according to the lawsuit.
“While the molestations of McKayla Maroney began under the guise of legitimate medical treatment, with Nassar inserting his bare, ungloved hand into her vagina [claiming that he was performing medical treatment], they soon took an even more depraved and sadomasochistic turn,” the lawsuit says.
Disgraced USA Olympic team doctor, Lawrence ‘Larry’ Nassar in court for a plea hearing in Lansing, Mich., Nov, 2017
The suit describes a disturbing incident that took place at a high-stakes competition in Japan, in which Nassar took a 15-year-old Maroney into a treatment room and “proceeded to insert his hand into the vagina and anus.”
“Despite having the power, authority, and mandate to do so, the Defendants USOC and MSU never intervened to discipline Nassar.”
Recent US Olympians Aly Raisman [left], McKayla Maroney [center], and Gabby Douglas all said they were abused by long term U.S. Olympics team doctor, Larry Nassar
They also failed to ensure that Nassar and USA Gymnastics were following USOC rules and mandates, according to the suit.
“To this day McKayla Maroney is petrified of Nassar and does not trust medical providers, and suffers from intrusive, repeated thoughts and memories of the horrific abuse she suffered as a minor gymnast competing for her country,” the lawsuit alleges.
The suit explains that Maroney complied with the unlawful provisions “to obtain funds necessary to pay for lifesaving psychological treatment and care” as her condition worsened, and that she was forced into a non-disparagement clause and confidentiality provision “that brought with it liquidated damages penalties of over $100,000, should she or other affiliated non-parties speak of her abuse of The Settlement.”
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