IG: FBI botched Nassar abuse investigation

The Justice Department’s inspector general released a long-awaited report on Wednesday that sharply criticized the FBI’s handling of the sexual abuse case involving Lawrence Nassar, the former doctor for the USA Gymnastics national team and Michigan State sports, which led to Nassar’s continued abuse of girls and women.

Nassar, who is serving what amounts to life in prison, has been accused of abusing hundreds of female patients — including Olympic champion Simone Biles and a majority of the last two United States women’s Olympic gymnastics teams — under the guise of medical treatment.

The report, citing civil court documents, said that 70 or more young athletes had been sexually abused by Nassar between July 2015, when USA Gymnastics first reported allegations against Nassar to the FBI’s Indianapolis field office, and August 2016, when the Michigan State University Police Department received a separate complaint.

John Manly, a lawyer for many of the victims, said that number is likely even higher — about 120 patients, including one as young as 8 years old.

The inspector general’s report said senior FBI officials in the Indianapolis field office failed to respond to the allegations “with the utmost seriousness and urgency that they deserved and required” and the investigation did not proceed until after a September 2016 report by The Indianapolis Star detailed Nassar’s abuse. FBI officials in the office also “made numerous and fundamental errors when they did respond” to the allegations.