A former Olympic gymnastics coach killed himself Thursday after he was hit with a slew of charges for sexually assaulting and physically abusing young athletes in Michigan, according to authorities.
John Geddert — who worked for years alongside notorious gymnastics predator Larry Nassar — was found with a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Thursday afternoon, local station WLNS reported, citing state officials.
Earlier that day, the state attorney general unveiled 24 charges against Geddert that could have put him behind bars for life.
Geddert’s death was confirmed by Michigan’s attorney general, who called his suicide a “tragic end” to the horrific story.
“My office has been notified that the body of John Geddert was found late this afternoon after taking his own life. This is a tragic end to a tragic story for everyone involved,” Attorney General Dana Nessel said in the statement.
Nessel alleged that Geddert used his credentials as a US Olympic coach to convince parents to have their children train at his gym in Dimondale, Mich., where Nassar served as his in-house doctor.
But the AG said his treatment of them amounted to “human trafficking,” as the athletes were forced to labor under “extreme conditions” that resulted in injuries.
He was also hit with two counts of sexual assault against a teen in 2012, one count of continuing criminal enterprise, and a rap for lying to investigators who were probing Nassar’s own sexual abuse of gymnasts.