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Nassar charged with first degree criminal sexual conduct, bond set at $1,000,000

November 22, 2016
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette speaks to press regarding the arrest and investigation of ex-MSU faculty member Larry Nassar on Nov. 22, 2016 in G. Mennen Williams Building at 525 W. Ottawa St. in Lansing.
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette speaks to press regarding the arrest and investigation of ex-MSU faculty member Larry Nassar on Nov. 22, 2016 in G. Mennen Williams Building at 525 W. Ottawa St. in Lansing.

Ex-MSU and USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar has been charged with three cases of first-degree sexual conduct with a person under 13, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette confirmed in a press conference on Tuesday.

Nassar’s bond was set at $1,000,000. Each charge carries up to life in prison.

On Monday, it was confirmed that Nassar was in police custody

The victim, who was unidentified, was confirmed to be “just a young girl” under the age of 13 by Schuette. Schuette said that in the charges made, the victim was not a patient or a gymnast undergoing treatment from Nassar but did not release more information. The crimes took place in Ingham County at Nassar's home.

“It is our intent, all of us here, that the filing of these charges will provide hope to other victims of this predator,” Schuette said. “And we are hopeful that other victims of this predator may step forward. We want to help, and we want to add to the voices of other victims of sexual assault.”

MSU police Chief James Dunlap confirmed that as of Tuesday there have been “about 50” complaints made towards Nassar. This is increased from a Nov. 10 report from The State News, which estimated the number of reports to be 43.

Dunlap and Schuette both confirmed during the press conference that their offices are working together on continued investigations into Nassar.

Dunlap said that dates of reported cases range from 1998 to 2015. 

The charges follow a long string of investigations into Nassar’s conduct, beginning with his release from USA Gymnastics last year. Nassar had been working there since 1996, but had been released due to “athlete concerns.”

So far, there are several lawsuits filed against Nassar, but the first gymnast to identify herself as a victim of Nassar by name was Rachael Denhollander, a previous USA Olympic gymnast. Once she told her story to the Indianapolis Star, reports against Nassar began piling in to MSU police.

Nassar began working at MSU in 1997. In 2014, Nassar had been accused of charges similar to those he currently faces, but the university cleared him of those accusations in 2014. MSU spokesman Jason Cody confirmed that after the 2014 incident, certain requirements had been placed on Nassar’s employment with MSU.

After Cody confirmed that MSU received more reports related to Nassar’s conduct, Nassar was fired on Sept. 20. He said this was due to Nassar not complying with those employment requirements.

Allegations against Nassar stretch across multiple jurisdictions in Michigan and possibly across state lines, a press release confirmed.

Nassar’s next court date is scheduled for December 8. More investigations into Nassar's allegations of sexual misconduct are ongoing.

“This is just the tip of the iceberg,” Schuette said.

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