Former US Olympics Gymnastics Coach Dies By Suicide After Human Trafficking Charges

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. John Geddert was head coach of the 2012 U.S. women's Olympic gymnastics team, which won a gold medal. 

Nassar was the team's doctor and also treated injured gymnasts at Twistars, Geddert's Lansing-area gym for elite athletes.

Geddert, 63, is accused of injuring people for years through forced labor and recruiting minors for forced labor, according to documents filed in an Eaton County court, near Lansing.

He also is charged with molesting a teen with hands in 2012. Authorities said Geddert also lied to investigators in 2016 when he said he had never heard anyone complain about Nassar.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel scheduled an afternoon news conference. A message seeking comment was left with Geddert's attorney.

Geddert has insisted he had "zero knowledge" of Nassar's crimes, although some gymnasts said he forced them to see Nassar and was physically abusive. Nassar, who was a doctor at Michigan State University, has been sentenced to decades in prison for sexually assaulting gymnasts at the school and elsewhere as well as possessing child pornography.

During Nassar's sentencing, a woman said Geddert was aware in the late 1990s that Nassar had performed an "inappropriate procedure" on her when she was 16. A prosecutor read that accuser's anonymous statement in court.

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 describes himself as the "most decorated women's gymnastics coach in Michigan gymnastics history." He said his Twistars teams had won 130 club championships.

But Geddert was often described in unflattering ways when Nassar's victims spoke during court hearings in 2018.

"What a great best friend John was to Larry for giving him an entire world where he was able to abuse so easily," gymnast Lindsey Lemke said. "You two sure do have a funny meaning of friendship. You, John Geddert, also deserve to sit behind bars right next to Larry."