Olympics gymnastics coach kills self after being charged in connection with Larry Nassar

Former American gymnastics coach John Geddert was charged yesterday, accused of turning his Michigan gym into a haven of abuse. He killed himself hours after he was charged and was due to appear in court.

Geddert was charged on multiple counts, from sexual assault and human trafficking to running a criminal enterprise. These charges were a result of the exposure of sports doctor Larry Nassar in 2015 that led to him being charged in 2017.

In 2015, multiple women alleged that they had been sexually assaulted by then USA Gymnastics’ national coordinator Larry Nassar on the pretext of medical checks. USA Gymnastics cut ties with Nassar shortly after, a series of events that led to more allegations and a federal case, during which the disgraced doctor pled guilty.

Nassar started out his career in Michigan’s Twistars, a gymnastics training club, where John Geddert was the coach. Many of Nassar’s victims said that the coach was aware of the doctor’s misdemeanors and was active in creating an unsafe environment for the athletes in his care.

Geddert killed himself on the way to appear at the Eaton County court. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel was assured by his lawyers that he would cooperate, which was why Geddert was allowed to turn himself in and not be arrested. Many of his victims took to social media, terming his death an easy escape from justice. “His suicide is an admission of guilt that the entire world can now see,” one said.