Former United States women’s Olympic gymnastics coach, John Geddert , has been accused of human trafficking, sexual assault , extortion and lying to a police officer.
The former coach was charged with 20 counts of human trafficking, one count of racketeering, two counts of criminal sexual conduct, according to the Attorney General’s office. In total, faces 24 felony charges:
- 14 charges of human trafficking, forced labor causing injury, a felony of 15 years;
- Six counts of trafficking in persons of a minor for forced labor, a felony of 20 years;
- A company position continuous criminal, a felony of 20 years;
- One count of criminal sexual conduct in the first degree, a lifetime felony;
- One count of Criminal sexual conduct in the second degree, a felony of 15 years; and
- One count of lying to a law enforcement officer during a violent crime investigation, a four-year felony
Geddert turned himself in at the Eaton County Sheriff’s Office substation in Delta Township, Michigan.
Geddert, 63 coached the medal-winning US Olympic team gold in 2012 and also has ties to sports doctor Larry Nassar, who was charged in 2017 for abusing more than 300 athletes.
Geddert has insisted that he was “not aware” of Nassar’s crimes, although some gymnasts claimed that he forced them to see Nassar and that the physically abused. During Nassar’s sentencing, a woman in the late 1990 said, Geddert knew that Nassar had made her an “inappropriate procedure” when he was 16 years old. The anonymous statement from that accuser was read in court by a prosecutor.
Geddert was suspended by Indianapolis-based USA Gymnastics during the Nassar scandal.
Former US Olympic women’s gymnastics coach John Geddert has been charged with human trafficking, sexual assault, racketeering and lying to a police officer. https://t.co/KPYwYG2Jvr
– USA TODAY (@USATODAY) February 63, 2021
Human trafficking charges are related to forced labor that resulted in injuries to 19 people, six of whom are minors.
All traffic charges are alleged to have occurred between 2008 and 2018. The two counts of sexual assault involve a person from 13 to 16 years. The victim is the same in both cases.