Michigan State University paid a public relations firm more than $500,000 to monitor the social media accounts of women who had been abused by Larry Nassar.
According to documents obtained by the Lansing State Journal, New York firm Weber Shandwick billed the university for 1,440 hours’ work in January as Nassar, who had used his position at MSU to abuse female athletes under the guise of medical care, faced dozens of his victims in court.
The firm reported to MSU on how social media posts by Nassar’s victims, as well as politicians, journalists and celebrities, were received by the public. “Guardian Reporter Owen Gibson’s tweet linking to the Guardian article on Biles [had] 16 retweets; 19 likes,” read one report. Weber Shandwick employees were paid between $200 and $600 an hour for their work. The Journal also reported that MSU had spent $9.69m by the start of March on law and consulting firms. More than 250 people are suing MSU over claims the university failed to protect them from Nassar. USA Gymnastics, where Nassar also worked and abused athletes - including Olympic gold medalists – are also being sued.
Nassar was sentenced to up to 300 years in prison for his crimes, in addition to a 60-year term for possession of child abuse images. This week Nassar’s former boss at MSU, William Strampel, was arrested over allegations he had nude pictures of female students on his computer.
