Ex-US Olympic Coach Commits Suicide After Being Charged With Sexual Assault, Abuse

Ex-US Olympic Coach Commits Suicide After Being Charged With Sexual Assault, Abuse

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 26th February, 2021) Former US Olympic gymnast coach John Geddert has killed himself hours after prosecutors in the state of Michigan filed 24 charges against him for allegedly sexually and physically abusing his former female gymnasts, Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a statement.

"My office has been notified that the body of John Geddert was found late this afternoon after taking his own life," Nessel said in the statement on Thursday. "This is a tragic end to a tragic story for everyone involved."

The 63-year-old Geddert was charged with 14 counts of human trafficking, forced labor causing injury; six counts of human trafficking of a minor for forced labor; one count of continuing criminal enterprise, one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct; one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct; and one count of lying to a peace officer during a violent crime investigation.

Geddert would have faced a sentence of life in prison if convicted.

Geddert was associated with US gymnastics team's former doctor Larry Nassar, who was sentenced to 60 years in prison in 2017 for possessing child pornography. Nassar was also given another 40 to 175 years in prison for sexually abusing young female athletes. More than 260 women and girls have claimed they were assaulted by Nassar.