Elite gymnast sisters Tasha and Jordan Schwikert are hoping to hold ex-MSU and USA Gymnastics (USAG) doctor Larry Nassar, USAG and the U.S. Olympic Committee accountable in a new lawsuit. The two civil lawsuits were filed in the Superior Court of the State of California of Los Angeles Oct. 29.
Both sisters’ complaints cite the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, a law used to corral organizations of continued criminal practices. It typically is used to combat drug trafficking, human trafficking and other criminal enterprises.
Under RICO, the sisters seek damages from multiple defendants for repeated sexual exploitation, abuse and trafficking of minors.
Jordan’s complaint says Nassar was her physician for two years while Tasha’s says she saw him for nearly a decade. Nassar was a member of USAG for over 20 years.
Nassar is currently serving a 60-year federal sentence on child pornography charges, and more than 400 individuals have come forward as survivors of his sexual abuse.
Tasha, 33, a former Olympian and now wife, mother and lawyer was 15 when Nassar’s abuse began. Her complaint says Nassar developed a personal relationship with her, grooming her before eventually digitally penetrating her ungloved and without consent. The complaint says it seeks justice for Tasha and against those who enabled Nassar to sexually abuse her as a child.
Other unnamed defendants are cited for having been complicit to the abuse. The complaint says reasonable measures to supervise, investigate and prevent the predatory behavior Nassar extended to minors were not taken. Defendants had a duty of protection for participants that was not upheld.
Jordan, 32, former USAG national team member and now married, says in her complaint she experienced sexual abuse at the hands of Nassar from ages 14 to 16. Jordan’s complaint said out of the at least 30 times she went to Nassar for medical treatment, he sexually assaulted her on at least 15 separate occasions. Both sisters said he seemed to gain sexual gratification from the abuse.
The complaint from Tasha states that the USAG women’s program rules and policies were meaningless and unfollowed, allowing coaches who were known for inappropriate behavior to move from gym to gym.
“Despite the Code of Ethical Conduct, Doe 2 was notorious for maintaining a recklessly lax system of vetting coaches, medical personnel, staff and administrators. It failed to follow its policy of reporting coaches who were known sexual abusers to authorities,” the complaint reads.
The lawsuit alleges that USAG “kept a secret file of sexual abuse allegations” and promoted a culture of physical and psychological abuse that kept young girls like the Schwikert sisters quiet.
Support student media!
Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
Discussion
Share and discuss “Tasha and Jordan Schwikert sue USAG and USOC over Nassar abuse” on social media.
