FBI, DOJ Face $1 Billion Suit From Simone Biles, Survivors Of Larry Nassar

Survivors of former sports doctor Larry Nassar said on Wednesday they intend to file tort claims seeking $1 billion or more against both the Justice Department (DOJ) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

In the claim, survivors of Nassar claim that the DOJ and FBI failed to act and stop Nassar in a timely manner, despite initially receiving reports about his abuse in 2015. Nassar was not arrested until 2016, after an investigation by Michigan State University. The Victims are seeking compensation from the government because they argue that claims against Nassar were not properly investigated.

"The FBI knew that Larry Nassar was a danger to children when his abuse of me was first reported in September of 2015," Maggie Nichols, a former gymnast, and survivor, said in a statement according to ABC.

"For 421 days they worked with USA Gymnastics and USOPC to hide this information from the public," Nichols alleged.

Gymnasts Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, McKayla Maroney, Samantha Roy, and Kaylee Lorincz are also parties to the tort claims.

"If the FBI had simply done its job, Nassar would have been stopped before he ever had the chance to abuse hundreds of girls," Roy said in a statement according to The Associated Press.

Michigan State already paid $500 million to hundreds of women and girls who suffered from Nassar’s abuse. USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee also reached a $380 million settlement.

For the new suit, the survivors are using the Federal Tort Claims Act of 1946, which states Victims can file a tort claim if federal employees’ actions or omissions led to personal injury or death.

The announcement came after the DOJ announced FBI agents involved in the botched investigation will face no criminal charges. John Manly, a lawyer with Manly, Stewart, & Finaldi representing some of the victims in the case, told the Washington Post that the decision was "incomprehensible."

"The continued failure of the [DOJ] to criminally charge . . . officials who conspired to cover up the largest sex abuse scandal in the history of sport is incomprehensible," Manly said.

The Associated Press reports that the FBI has six months to respond to these tort claims.

Nassar faced child pornography charges and 10 counts of sexual assault. Charges also included the sexual assault of minors. Nassar eventually pled guilty in 2017 and again in 2018. He currently serves a 40 to 175-year sentence behind bars.