INDIANAPOLIS, IN – USA Gymnastics filed a plan of reorganization with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Indiana on Thursday, which will enable it to emerge from bankruptcy and also provide a $215 million settlement to the sexual abuse survivors of former national team doctor Larry Nassar.
According to a news release from the organization, the plan offers survivors two options: To either accept the money to settle their claims or to vote to continue to pursue their lawsuits and collect any money from insurance policies available to the organization.
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“Whichever option the survivors as a whole accept will apply to all members of the survivor class,” the news release stated. “If the survivors vote to accept the settlement, the insurers for Twistars will also contribute an additional $2.125 million to the settlement amount. In addition, the plan includes benchmarks that obligate USA Gymnastics to continue to enhance athlete safety and provides for payments to other creditors of USA Gymnastics.”
Li Li Leung, president and CEO of USA Gymnastics, released a statement, saying it has always been the organization’s goal to reach “a consensual settlement with all of our creditors through the bankruptcy process.”
“While we do not yet have an agreement with the Committee representing the survivors, we still hope to reach an agreement,” the statement read. “USA Gymnastics filed its proposed plan to communicate to the survivor class the two options that are currently available based on the amount of money USA Gymnastics’ insurers are willing to pay into a settlement fund.”
According to the New York Times, a lawyer for more than 200 women and girls who accused Nassar of abuse called the offer “unconscionable.”
More than 300 plaintiffs have filed lawsuits against USA Gymnastics, accusing the organization of failing to protect them from Nassar.
Nassar was sentenced in 2018 to 40 to 125 years in prison.