Former Olympic gymnast McKayla Maroney says the FBI lied about her abuse allegations against disgraced gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar.
Maroney, who competed in the London Olympics Games in 2012, told the Senate Judiciary Committee during shocking testimony what the agency did after she reported being molested by Nassar in 2015.
“After telling my entire story of abuse to the FBI in the summer of 2015, not only did the FBI not report my abuse, but when they eventually documented my report 17 months later, they made entirely false claims about what I said,” Maroney said.
The gold medalist explained that after reading the report from the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General, she was “shocked and deeply disappointed” at the narrative the FBI “chose to fabricate.”
“They chose to lie about what I said and protect a serial child molester, rather than protect not only me but countless others,” she said.
Maroney said she was scheduled to speak to the FBI in 2015 over the phone, and sat on her bedroom floor for nearly three hours explaining what happened to her.
Maroney told the FBI that Nassar made her change into shorts without underwear and molested her “within minutes.” She further detailed being molested by Nassar in Tokyo after he gave her a sleeping pill on the flight.
“I began crying at the memory over the phone. And there was just dead silence,” Maroney said. “After that minute of silence he [the agent] asked, ‘Is that all?’”
Maroney said the FBI and Department of Justice “clearly violated policies” and were “negligent” in doing their jobs. She called on the panel to hold the individuals who withheld the initial report on her abuse.
“Enough is enough,” Maroney said. “I ask you, please do all that is in your power to ensure that these individuals are held responsible and accountable for ignoring my initial report, for lying about my initial report and for covering up for a child molester.”