Disgraced former gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar has paid just $300 in penalties since being given an effective life sentence after abusing dozens of athletes in his care and possessing thousands of images of child sexual abuse.
According to a court filing obtained by the Washington Post, Nassar spent more than $10,000 from his prison bank account in the three years since he was jailed. But Nassar is only paying $8.33 per month towards the $57,000 he owes in restitution to the survivors of his abuse, the $5,300 he owes to the federal Crime Victims Fund, as well as $834 in court fees.
Meanwhile, Nassar has had $12,825 in his prison account during that time, $2,000 of which came from a government Covid-19 stimulus payment. According to the Post report, he has spent more than $10,000 on emails, phone calls and purchases from the prison commissary.
Simone Biles was one of Nassar’s victims and withdrew from two events at the Olympics this week due to mental health concerns. The gymnast’s attorney expressed his anger at the Post’s findings.
“The timing of this, with my client being unable to compete because of what happened to her, couldn’t be more upsetting … They’re allowing the worst child predator in American history to spend thousands of dollars on himself and pay $8 a month to his victims, said John Manly. “Something is completely broken and needs to be fixed.”
Republican senator Roger Wicker has asked the US attorney general, Merrick Garland, to review the policy that allowed Nassar to spend more on himself than on restitution payments.
“[This] gives the appearance that the Department of Justice places greater importance on Nassar’s comfort than on collecting the debt he owes his victims,” Wicker told the Post.
