FILE -
In this
Nov. 22,
2017,
file
photo,
Dr.
Larry
Nassar
appears
in court
for a
plea
hearing
in
Lansing,
Mich.
Michigan
State
University
has
reached
a $500
million
settlement
with
hundreds
of women
and
girls
who say
they
were
sexually
assaulted
by
Nassar
in the
worst
sex-abuse
case in
sports
history.
The deal
was
announced
Wednesday,
May 16,
2018, by
Michigan
State
and
lawyers
for 332
victims.
(Photo:
Paul
Sancya,
AP)
Michigan
State
and
Nassar
victims
reach
$500M
settlement By
DAVID
EGGERT
and
ED WHITE
APNews.com
LANSING,
MI -
Michigan
State
University
has
agreed
to pay
$500
million
to more
than 300
women
and
girls
who said
they
were
assaulted
by
sports
doctor
Larry
Nassar
in the
worst
sex-abuse
case in
sports
history,
the
university
announced
Wednesday.
The
deal
surpasses
the more
than
$109
million
that
Penn
State
University
paid to
settle
claims
by at
least 35
people
that
assistant
football
coach
Jerry
Sandusky
had
sexually
abused
boys,
though
the
Nassar
settlement
involves
far more
victims.
“We
are
truly
sorry to
all the
survivors
and
their
families
for what
they
have
been
through,
and we
admire
the
courage
it has
taken to
tell
their
stories,”
said
Brian
Breslin,
chairman
of
Michigan
State’s
governing
board.
“We
recognize
the need
for
change
on our
campus
and in
our
community
around
sexual
assault
awareness
and
prevention.”
The
statement
did not
indicate
how much
money
each
victim
would
receive.
It also
did not
say how
Michigan
State
will pay
the
bill.
The
university
and
lawyers
for 332
victims
announced
the deal
after
negotiating
privately
with the
help of
a
mediator.
Under
the
agreement,
$425
million
would be
paid to
current
claimants
and $75
million
would be
set
aside
for any
future
claims.
Michigan
State
was
accused
of
ignoring
or
dismissing
complaints
about
Nassar,
some as
far back
as the
1990s.
The
school
has
insisted
that no
one
covered
up
assaults.
Nassar
pleaded
guilty
to
molesting
women
and
girls
under
the
guise
that it
was
treatment.
He was
also
found to
have
child
pornography
and is
serving
prison
sentences
that
will
likely
keep him
locked
up for
life.
He
treated
campus
athletes
and
scores
of young
gymnasts
at his
Michigan
State
office.
He built
an
international
reputation
while
working
at the
same
time for
USA
Gymnastics,
which
trains
Olympians.
Olympic
gold
medalists
Jordyn
Wieber,
Aly
Raisman,
Gabby
Douglas
and
McKayla
Maroney
say they
were
among
Nassar’s
victims.
“This
historic
settlement
came
about
through
the
bravery
of more
than 300
women
and
girls
who had
the
courage
to stand
up and
refuse
to be
silenced,”
said
John
Manly,
the lead
attorney
for the
victims.
The
deal
applies
only to
Michigan
State.
Lawsuits
still
are
pending
against
Indianapolis-based
USA
Gymnastics,
the U.S.
Olympic
Committee
and an
elite
gymnastics
club in
the
Lansing-area
where
assaults
occurred.