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More allegations against MSU ex-faculty member Dr. Larry Nassar

September 28, 2016

Twenty-three more reports of sexual abuse could be linked to ex-faculty member Dr. Larry Nassar.

Nassar was fired Sept. 20 following an Indianapolis Star investigation that revealed two ex-gymnasts had been allegedly sexually abused by Nassar in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

The new revelation to the Nassar case comes from the MSU Police Clery Crime and Fire Log.

“I can confirm that we have received multiple additional complaints since Sept. 12, which is when the media stories just started appearing,” MSU spokesman Jason Cody said. “I can’t confirm the reports on the log.”

MSU hired Nassar on Aug. 1, 1997, Cody confirmed. But, Nassar started working as a physician for USA Gymnastics in 1996, according to the Indianapolis Star.

The alleged abuse from the 24 reports traces back to 1998, but some are as recent as 2015. All were reported to MSUPD after the publication of the Indianapolis Star story on Sept. 13, except for one, filed Aug. 29. This is the day Rachael Denhollander of Louisville, Ky., filed her report to MSU police against Nassar, just two weeks before the Indianapolis Star’s report was published.

Of the recently reported cases of sexual abuse, all involve first-degree charges of vaginal penetration, penetration oral/anal or penetration using an object, similar to the current alleged charges against Nassar. Fourteen of those allegedly took place at the MSU Sports Medicine Clinic, located at 4660 S. Hagadorn Road, where Nassar worked until this year.

All but one of these reports are being actively investigated, according to the crime log.

“This is an ongoing investigation into Dr. Nassar,” Cody said. “It would be inappropriate to comment on how many allegations or complaints that (MSUPD has) received.”

Nassar faced similar charges in 2014, but was cleared of them by MSU.

All of the complaints are cited to have taken place at buildings close to the MSU community. Some are cited to have occurred at 2900 Hannah Blvd., which is an office building adjacent to MSU Sports Medicine that houses the Michigan Athletic Club.

The other is an address that has been speculated to be Nassar’s home address, where the Indianapolis Star reports some patients have been allegedly abused as well. Another is the Eyde Building, the building MSU Sports Medicine is located inside, at 4660 S. Hagadorn Road.

Though no one can link Nassar specifically to these buildings and these events at the time they occurred, based on the way medical professionals at MSU work, there’s a high probability Nassar might have worked or volunteered at these places.

“Most of his clinical work was done at the MSU Sports Medicine Clinic, which is housed in the Eyde Building,” Cody said.

“The way that our system works here at MSU would be in a community-based medical school is that any professors within the house schools have both an academic appointment and a clinical appointment. It all depends on which doctor, and it can vary from year to year about how much academic, clinical, and research they do. ... It’s all case by case.”

MSUPD could not be contacted for comment on this story. Cody said he cannot confirm any of the allegations in the report by MSUPD, but stated MSUPD is devoted to investigations involving allegations against Nassar.

Nassar is currently running to be a representative for Holt Public School’s Board of Education. Despite the allegations against Nassar, he remains on the ballot.

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