Former US national gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar was involved in a prison altercation on Sunday and was stabbed multiple times by another inmate.
Nassar, who was sentenced to up to 175 years in prison for sexually abusing gymnasts, is currently in stable condition after the attack and receiving medical treatment.
Reports suggest that he sustained two stab wounds to the neck, two to the back, and six to the chest, resulting in a collapsed lung. A union leader from the prison informed NBC about the extent of his injuries.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons confirmed the incident in a statement to the BBC, stating that an inmate was assaulted at the United States Penitentiary Coleman in Florida, where Nassar is incarcerated.
“Responding staff immediately initiated life-saving measures”, the agency said, and the inmate was taken to a local hospital “for further treatment and evaluation”. An internal investigation has been launched.
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Nassar, who previously served as a doctor for the USA Gymnastics program and Michigan State University, admitted to sexually assaulting athletes and was convicted for his crimes. He also pleaded guilty to charges related to the possession of child pornography.
The number of women and girls who have accused Nassar of sexual abuse stands at over 330, spanning his time with USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University. Prominent Olympic gold medallists, such as Simone Biles, Aly Raisman, and McKayla Maroney, have bravely testified about their experiences of surviving Nassar’s abuse.
Many of the survivors disclosed the abuse to adults, including coaches and doctors, but their concerns were often disregarded.
An investigation into the FBI’s handling of the scandal, published in 2021, found the agency made a series of missteps, including delays and cover-ups, which allowed Nassar’s abuse to continue for several more months after the case was first opened.
The agency’s own watchdog found the FBI disregarded allegations about Nassar and made early errors in its investigation.
Several women who were sexually assaulted by Nassar – including Raisman, Biles and Maroney – have sued the FBI for $1bn (£783m) for mishandling credible complaints of sexual assault.
USA Gymnastics has agreed to pay $380m to Nassar’s victims, while Michigan State reached a $500m settlement with survivors.