U.S. gymnastics’ ex-coach dies by suicide amid charges

John Geddert, a former U.S. Olympics gymnastics coach with ties to disgraced sport doctor Larry Nassar died by suicide Thursday after being charged with two dozen crimes, including forms of human trafficking, the Michigan state attorney general said.

The announcement from Attorney General Dana Nessel came about three hours after a news conference where Nessel announced that Geddert was charged with crimes, including sexual assault, human trafficking and running a criminal enterprise.

The charges were the latest fallout from the sexual abuse scandal involving Nassar, a former Michigan State University sports doctor now in prison.

Geddert was accused of turning his Michigan gym into a criminal enterprise by coercing girls to train under him and then verbally and physically abusing them.

He was accused of lying to investigators in 2016 when he denied ever hearing complaints about Nassar, who is serving decades in prison for sexually assaulting female athletes in a scandal that counted hundreds of victims and turned USA Gymnastics upside down.

Geddert, 63, was head coach of the 2012 U.S. women’s Olympic gymnastics team, which won a gold medal. Nassar, who was the Olympic team’s doctor, also treated injured gymnasts at Twistars, Geddert’s Lansing-area gym.

Geddert was accused of recruiting minors for forced labor, a reference to the gymnasts he coached, according to documents filed in an Eaton County court.

A message seeking comment was left with Geddert’s attorney. Nessel said the coach used “force, fraud and coercion” for financial benefit.

“The victims suffer from disordered eating,” Nessel said, “including bulimia and anorexia, suicide attempts and attempts at self harm, excessive physical conditioning, repeatedly being forced to perform even when injured, extreme emotional abuse and physical abuse, including sexual assault.”

“Many of these victims still carry these scars from this behavior to this day,” the attorney general said.

The charges against Geddert included two counts of sexual assault against a teen in 2012.

Geddert was suspended by Indianapolis-based USA Gymnastics during the Nassar scandal. He told families in 2018 that he was retiring.

KATHY WILLENS/AP 2012 Former U.S. Olympics gymnastics coach John Geddert had been charged with two dozen crimes, including forms of human trafficking, the Michigan state attorney general said.