Larry Nassar: Ex-Olympic chief who 'concealed' abuse got $2.4m payoff, new documents show
- Published
Larry Nassar was sentenced to more than 300 years in jail
A former United States Olympic chief who "concealed" sex abuse claims against a doctor who went to assault more victims received a $2.4m (£1.9m) pay-off when he later stepped down.
US Olympic Committee CEO Scott Blackmun resigned citing ill health in 2018.
That came after he had received severe criticism for the way his organisation handled the Larry Nassar scandal.
Ex-Team USA doctor Nassar was sentenced to more than 300 years in jail in 2018 for abusing at least 265 women.
His victims included several stars of the USA's 2012 and 2016 gold medal-winning Olympic teams.
Blackmun stepped down a month after Nassar was sentenced for his crimes.
The USOC - now rebranded as the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) - then commissioned an independent report looking into how Nassar had been able to get away with his abuse for so long.
That report,, external by US law firm Ropes & Gray, found Blackmun had "received disturbing allegations about the gymnastics team doctor" in 2015 but kept the information to himself.
It added the "inaction and concealment had consequences: dozens of girls and young women were abused during the year-long period between the summer of 2015 and September 2016".
New tax accounts released by the USOPC show that Blackmun received the severance pay, despite the criticism.
USOPC chair Susanne Lyons explained: "At that time, based on the requirement for new leadership to guide the organisation forward, as well as Blackmun's serious health challenges, the board approved a separation agreement, as provided for in his contract."
Lawyer John Manly, who represented some of Nassar's victims, reacted angrily to the news.
"Blackmun knew Larry Nassar was a child molester in summer 2015. He concealed that fact from the public, the media, police and worst of all the athletes and their parents," he said.
"Instead of going to jail he's been rewarded with $2.4m by USOC leaders. Enough!"