Crime & Safety

Aly Raisman Slams FBI Investigation Of Doctor's Sex Abuse

Needham native Aly Raisman testifies during a Senate Judiciary hearing Wednesday, calling the handling of the situation "disgusting."

In this Feb. 3, 2017, file photo, Aly Raisman attends ESPN: The Party 2017 in Houston, Texas. Raisman used Twitter on May 24, 2017, to call out an airport security worker who she says questioned whether she had enough muscles to be a gymnast.
In this Feb. 3, 2017, file photo, Aly Raisman attends ESPN: The Party 2017 in Houston, Texas. Raisman used Twitter on May 24, 2017, to call out an airport security worker who she says questioned whether she had enough muscles to be a gymnast. (John Salangsang/Invision/AP, File)

NEEDHAM, MA — Olympic gold medalist and Needham native Aly Raisman told the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday she was "disgusted" by the FBI's handling of its investigation of doctor Larry Nassar.

Nassar, the former Olympic Team USA gymnastics doctor, is serving 40 to 175 years in prison after more than 160 women came forward, accusing him of sexually abusing them under the pretense of receiving medical treatment.

Speaking Wednesday, Raisman gave blunt remarks on her disappointment with the system. "It was like serving innocent children up to a pedophile on a silver platter."

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Raisman said the FBI "failed to follow their basic duties," and "worked to conceal" Nassar's abuse, calling for a serious investigation into the neglect from the FBI, USA Gymnastics, and the U.S. Olympic Committee.

The Justice Department released an internal investigation in July saying the FBI made hugely fundamental errors and didn't treat the case with the "utmost seriousness" after USA Gymnastics first reported the allegations to Indianapolis FBI in 2015.

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"It took over 14 months for the FBI to contact me, despite my many requests to be interviewed by them," Raisman said.

Raisman added that when the FBI did contact her, she felt pressured to consent to Nassar's plea deal.

"We just can't fix a problem we don't understand. And we can't understand the problem unless and until we have all of the facts. If we don't do all we can to get these facts, the problems we are here to address will persist," Raisman said. "And we are deluding ourselves if we think other children can be spared this - the institutionalized tolerance and normalization of abuse - that I and so many others had to endure."

Fellow gymnasts Simone Biles, McKayla Maroney, and Maggie Nichols also testified Wednesday, giving their statements on the FBI's failures to investigate sexual abuse allegations against Nassar in 2015.

Gold medalist Biles told the committee "I blame Larry Nassar and I also blame an entire system that enabled and perpetrated his abuse." She added before saying USA Gymnastics officials "knew that I was abused by their official team doctor long before I was ever made aware of their knowledge."

FBI Director Chris Wray apologized to the four athletes for the FBI's failures and called the inactions of FBI employees "totally unacceptable.”

"For many hundreds of survivors of Larry Nassar, this hearing is one of our last opportunities to get justice," Nichols said. "We ask that you do what is in your power to ensure those that engaged in wrongdoing are held accountable under the law."

The Inspector General released a statement saying, "We are enhancing our policies, procedures, and training to ensure that serious allegations of abuse are treated with the utmost urgency and care."

This hearing comes a week after Michael Langeman, the agent who failed to pursue tips about sex abuse by Nassar was fired from the FBI.


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