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Ex-US Olympics gymnastics coach with ties to Nassar dies by suicide after charges filed

In this March 3, 2012, file photo, gymnastics coach John Geddert is seen at the American Cup gymnastics meet at Madison Square Garden in New York. Prosecutors in Michigan filed charges Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021, against Geddert, a former U.S. Olympics gymnastics coach with ties to disgraced sports doctor Larry Nassar. Geddert was head coach of the 2012 U.S. women's Olympic gymnastics team, which won a gold medal. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File)
Kathy Willens
In this March 3, 2012, file photo, gymnastics coach John Geddert is seen at the American Cup gymnastics meet at Madison Square Garden in New York. Prosecutors in Michigan filed charges Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021, against Geddert, a former U.S. Olympics gymnastics coach with ties to disgraced sports doctor Larry Nassar. Geddert was head coach of the 2012 U.S. women's Olympic gymnastics team, which won a gold medal. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File)
SOURCE: Kathy Willens
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Ex-US Olympics gymnastics coach with ties to Nassar dies by suicide after charges filed
A former U.S. Olympics gymnastics coach with ties to disgraced sport doctor Larry Nassar died by suicide Thursday after being charged with two dozen crimes, including forms of human trafficking, the state attorney general said.The announcement from Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel came about three hours after a news conference where Nessel announced that John Geddert was charged with two dozen crimes, including sexual assault, human trafficking and running a criminal enterprise. The charges were the latest fallout from the sexual abuse scandal involving Nassar, a former Michigan State University sports doctor.Nessel said at a news conference that it was her understanding he had turned himself in to law enforcement and would appear at a court arraignment about an hour later. The arraignment never happened.Geddert was also accused of lying to investigators in 2016 when he denied ever hearing complaints about Nassar, who is serving decades in prison for sexually assaulting female athletes in a scandal that counted hundreds of victims and turned USA Gymnastics upside down.Geddert, 63, was head coach of the 2012 U.S. women鈥檚 Olympic gymnastics team, which won a gold medal. He had long been associated with Nassar, who was the Olympic team's doctor and also treated injured gymnasts at Twistars, Geddert鈥檚 Lansing-area gym.Geddert was accused of recruiting minors for forced labor, a reference to the gymnasts he coached, according to documents filed in an Eaton County court.A message seeking comment was left with Geddert鈥檚 attorney. Nessel said the coach used 鈥渇orce, fraud and coercion鈥� for financial benefit.鈥淭he victims suffer from disordered eating,鈥� Nessel said, 鈥渋ncluding bulimia and anorexia, suicide attempts and attempts at self harm, excessive physical conditioning, repeatedly being forced to perform even when injured, extreme emotional abuse and physical abuse, including sexual assault.鈥淢any of these victims still carry these scars from this behavior to this day,鈥� the attorney general said.The charges against Geddert included two counts of sexual assault against a teen in 2012.Nessel acknowledged that the case might not fit the common understanding of human trafficking.Video: Former gymnast Rachael Denhollander on difficulty for athletes to report a crime鈥淲e think of it predominantly as affecting people of color or those without means to protect themselves ... but honestly it can happen to anyone, anywhere,鈥� she said. 鈥淵oung impressionable women may at times be vulnerable and open to trafficking crimes, regardless of their stature in the community or the financial well-being of their families.鈥滱ssistant Attorney General Danielle Hagaman-Clark said the charges against Geddert 鈥渉ave very little to do鈥� with Nassar.Geddert was suspended by Indianapolis-based USA Gymnastics during the Nassar scandal. He told families in 2018 that he was retiring.On his LinkedIn page, Geddert described himself as the 鈥渕ost decorated women鈥檚 gymnastics coach in Michigan gymnastics history.鈥� He said his Twistars teams won 130 club championships.But Geddert was often portrayed in unflattering ways when Nassar鈥檚 victims spoke during court hearings in 2018.鈥淲hat a great best friend John was to Larry for giving him an entire world where he was able to abuse so easily,鈥� said Lindsey Lemke, now a coach at the University of Arkansas. 鈥淵ou two sure do have a funny meaning of friendship. You, John Geddert, also deserve to sit behind bars right next to Larry.鈥漘__White reported from Detroit. Nichols is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.

A former U.S. Olympics gymnastics coach with ties to disgraced sport doctor Larry Nassar died by suicide Thursday after being charged with two dozen crimes, including forms of human trafficking, the state attorney general said.

The announcement from Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel came about three hours after a news conference where Nessel announced that John Geddert was charged with two dozen crimes, including sexual assault, human trafficking and running a criminal enterprise. The charges were the latest fallout from the sexual abuse scandal involving Nassar, a former Michigan State University sports doctor.

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Nessel said at a news conference that it was her understanding he had turned himself in to law enforcement and would appear at a court arraignment about an hour later. The arraignment never happened.

Geddert was also accused of lying to investigators in 2016 when he denied ever hearing complaints about Nassar, who is serving decades in prison for sexually assaulting female athletes in a scandal that counted hundreds of victims and turned USA Gymnastics upside down.

Geddert, 63, was head coach of the 2012 U.S. women鈥檚 Olympic gymnastics team, which won a gold medal. He had long been associated with , who was the Olympic team's doctor and also treated injured gymnasts at Twistars, Geddert鈥檚 Lansing-area gym.

Geddert was accused of recruiting minors for forced labor, a reference to the gymnasts he coached, according to documents filed in an Eaton County court.

A message seeking comment was left with Geddert鈥檚 attorney. Nessel said the coach used 鈥渇orce, fraud and coercion鈥� for financial benefit.

鈥淭he victims suffer from disordered eating,鈥� Nessel said, 鈥渋ncluding bulimia and anorexia, suicide attempts and attempts at self harm, excessive physical conditioning, repeatedly being forced to perform even when injured, extreme emotional abuse and physical abuse, including sexual assault.

鈥淢any of these victims still carry these scars from this behavior to this day,鈥� the attorney general said.

The charges against Geddert included two counts of sexual assault against a teen in 2012.

Nessel acknowledged that the case might not fit the common understanding of human trafficking.

Video: Former gymnast Rachael Denhollander on difficulty for athletes to report a crime

鈥淲e think of it predominantly as affecting people of color or those without means to protect themselves ... but honestly it can happen to anyone, anywhere,鈥� she said. 鈥淵oung impressionable women may at times be vulnerable and open to trafficking crimes, regardless of their stature in the community or the financial well-being of their families.鈥�

Assistant Attorney General Danielle Hagaman-Clark said the charges against Geddert 鈥渉ave very little to do鈥� with Nassar.

Geddert was suspended by Indianapolis-based USA Gymnastics during the Nassar scandal. He told families in 2018 that he was retiring.

On his LinkedIn page, Geddert described himself as the 鈥渕ost decorated women鈥檚 gymnastics coach in Michigan gymnastics history.鈥� He said his Twistars teams won 130 club championships.

But Geddert was often portrayed in unflattering ways when Nassar鈥檚 victims spoke during court hearings in 2018.

鈥淲hat a great best friend John was to Larry for giving him an entire world where he was able to abuse so easily,鈥� said Lindsey Lemke, now a coach at the University of Arkansas. 鈥淵ou two sure do have a funny meaning of friendship. You, John Geddert, also deserve to sit behind bars right next to Larry.鈥�

___

White reported from Detroit.

Nichols is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.