Former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar, who was convicted for the sexual abuse of hundreds of underage athletes, has died after being stabbed at Coleman II federal prison in Florida, according to NBC News. The U.S. Bureau of Prisons confirmed the incident occurred at the federal facility on Sunday but noted privacy protections prevented the agency from naming the assailant. Reporters noted that Nassar suffered multiple stab wounds to the neck, chest, and back, which led to a collapse of a lung during the attack.
Joe Rojas, the chairman of Local 506, which represents workers at Coleman II, described Nassar’s condition as stable following the assault. Nassar, 59, had a life sentence handed down in 2017 and 2018 after pleading guilty to crimes involving sexual abuse of underage athletes and possession of child pornography. The case against him remains a focal point in the broader discussion about accountability and reform within elite sports programs.
The incident arrives amid long-running controversy surrounding how early warnings about Nassar were handled. In 2022, several U.S. Olympic gymnasts, including renowned medalist Simone Biles, publicly sought more than a billion dollars in damages in a lawsuit against federal authorities for failing to arrest Nassar in a timely manner. Earlier that year, 13 alleged victims filed a separate claim seeking about $130 million from federal investigators over perceived negligence in investigating the doctor’s conduct.
Historical details show that concerns about Nassar’s behavior were raised as far back as 2013, when the United States Gymnastics Federation reported the allegations to federal authorities. At that time, an official FBI investigation did not proceed. The doctor’s arrest came in 2016 after an inquiry conducted by Michigan State University Police, where Nassar had served as a physician. In May 2018, the university agreed to a historic settlement of about $500 million with more than 300 women who accused him of harassment. Later, in December 2021, gymnasts reached a separate $380 million settlement with the federation and the U.S. Olympic Committee, addressing another wave of civil claims connected to the allegations.
This sequence of events underscores the ongoing struggle within sports organizations to address misconduct, provide accountability for those responsible, and support survivors who allege harm. The balance between institutional responsibilities and the rights of individuals involved remains a subject of intense public and legal scrutiny, with victims and advocates continuing to call for reforms that improve safeguarding measures and reporting protocols across professional athletic programs (News reports and court records catalog ongoing settlements and statements from involved parties).