Back in 2015, USA Gymnastics told FBI agents that sports doctor Larry Nassar, who worked at Michigan State University, sexually abused three gymnasts. The FBI failed to open an investigation, and they also didn’t inform federal or state authorities. This meant that Nassar was able to continue abusing gymnasts for years.

If the FBI had acted in a swift manner, it could have prevented more gymnasts from becoming Nassar’s victims. Samantha Roy, a former gymnast at the University of Michigan, said, “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.”

Now, elite gymnasts, including Olympian Simone Biles, are suing the FBI for over $1 billion. Gymnastics champion Maggie Nichols explained, “It is time for the FBI to be held accountable.”

In 2016, FBI agents from Los Angeles started a sexual tourism investigation against Nassar, but they didn’t tell authorities in Michigan. He was free to continue molesting gymnasts until he was finally arrested in fall 2016.

The FBI admits that some of their agents made huge mistakes. In 2021, Director Christopher Wray told Congress during a Senate hearing, “I’m especially sorry that there were people at the FBI who had their own chance to stop this monster back in 2015 and failed. And that’s inexcusable.”

Watch the video below to learn more about Nassar and the FBI’s slow response to take action in response to the sexual abuse claims.

Michigan State University has already paid $500 million to more than 300 of Nassar’s victims including girls and women. In addition, USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee reached a $380 million settlement with Nassar’s victims.

Why do you think the FBI didn’t respond sooner? Do you think the FBI should be held responsible for not responding to the claims against Nassar sooner?