Timeline: Former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar
Here is a timeline of events involving former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar, who also had worked at Michigan State University.
July 8, 2014 — Nassar wrote a letter to the USA Gymnastics Board of Directors saying he is retiring as National Team Medical Coordinator. "My primary role will now be with the women's artistic program for as long as the program feels I can be an asset to them," he wrote.
Aug. 10, 2014 — Nassar announced in a long Facebook post that he would leave as National Team Medical Coordinator for all of USA Gymnastics. He said he would stay on as team doctor for women's artistic gymnastics "until at least 2016."
June 20, 2015 — In another long Facebook post, Nassar said, "The summer of 2016 will be my last summer before I step down and no longer travel to competitions."
Summer 2015 — This is the time USA Gymnastics said recently that it reported "athlete concerns" to law enforcement and cut ties with Nassar. The doctor disputed that account, saying he left voluntarily.
Sept. 27, 2015 — Three months after saying he would stay through 2016, Nassar wrote a long Facebook post, saying, "After 29 years on the USA Gymnastics Women's Artistic National Team staff, it has come time for me to retire." He recounted his career and finished with a list of his honors. But he did not give a reason for retiring.
Aug. 4, 2016 — IndyStar published a lengthy investigation into USA Gymnastics and its handling of sexual abuse complaints over decades.
Aug. 14, 2016 — During the Rio Olympics, Nassar posted on Facebook that he retired in September 2015 "in part to prepare for the HPS School Board of Education election."
Aug. 29, 2016 — A Louisville, Ky., woman, Rachael Denhollander, filed a criminal complaint against Nassar with Michigan State University Police. She alleged that in 2000, at age 15, she was sexually abused by Nassar during treatments for lower back pain. Denhollander said she contacted police and IndyStar after reading the Aug. 4 investigation.
Aug. 30, 2016 — Michigan State University relieved Nassar of clinical and patient duties during the investigation.
Sept. 8, 2016 — A former Olympic medalist filed a civil lawsuit in California, alleging sexual abuse by Nassar from 1994 to 2000. The lawsuit also named USA Gymnastics and the organization's past three presidents, including current president Steve Penny, for negligence.
Sept. 12, 2016 — An IndyStar investigation revealed details of allegations Denhollander and the Olympian that Nassar penetrated the girls with his finger while treating them for hip and back pain. The former gymnasts came forward independently to IndyStar after its Aug. 4 investigation into USA Gymnastics and its handling of sexual abuse complaints over decades. Nassar's lawyer denied any wrongdoing by the doctor.
Sept. 20, 2016 — Michigan State University announced it fired Nassar after the school "received additional information that raised serious concerns about Nassar's compliance with certain employment requirements." A school spokesman said the firing was independent of the university's criminal and Title IX investigations.
Oct. 6, 2016 — Michigan's attorney general announced that his office will review accusations against Nassar at the request of Michigan State University Police. If charges are filed, the attorney general said his office would prosecute.
Nov. 8, 2016 — Nassar lost his bid for election to the Holt School Board. Prior to the election, Nassar said he was withdrawing from the race, but it was too late to get his name removed from the ballot. He came in third place, losing by more than 1,500 votes. He received 21 percent of the vote, which was 2,730 ballots.
Nov. 21, 2016 — Nassar was charged with three counts of first degree criminal sexual conduct with a person under 13 in Michigan state court. If convicted, he would face life in prison.
Nov. 22, 2016 — Nassar posted a $1 million bond.
Dec. 16, 2016 — Nassar was arrested again, this time on federal charges of receipt and attempted receipt of child pornography. The indictment says that between 2003 and 2016, Nassar possessed “thousands of images of child pornography” with file names such as “pedo-vicky_10_year_old_orgasm” and “Kelly 13 young girl.”
Jan. 10, 2017 — Eighteen women signed onto a civil lawsuit that names USA Gymnastics, a high-profile gymnastics club and Michigan State University, claiming the defendants failed to protect them from sexual abuse by Nassar. Since that time, more than a dozen others have joined the civil suit.
Feb. 7, 2017 — Federal prosecutors charged Nassar with another child pornography-related charge, alleging he had images or files destroyed.
Call IndyStar reporter Mark Alesia at (317) 444-6311. Follow him on Twitter: @markalesia.
Call IndyStar reporter Marisa Kwiatkowski at (317) 444-6135. Follow her on Twitter: @IndyMarisaK.
Call IndyStar reporter Tim Evans at (317) 444-6204. Follow him on Twitter: @starwatchtim.
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IndyStar will continue to investigate this topic. If you have information you would like to share, please email investigations@indystar.com or call (317) 444-6262.
USA Gymnastics to review sex abuse policies