Ex-gymnastics coach dies by suicide after criminal charges

Ex-U.S. Olympic gymnastics coach John Geddert died on Thursday after being charged with human trafficking and sexual assault.

“My office has been notified that the body of John Geddert was found late this afternoon after taking his own life. This is a tragic end to a tragic story for everyone involved,” Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel’s office said in a statement.

Nessel’s office released no other details.

Geddert’s death was first reported by a local ABC affiliate.

The attorney general’s office filed 24 criminal charges against Geddert earlier Thursday, accusing him of committing at least one sexual assault and multiple incidents of physical abuse against dozens of young female athletes.

He was expected to turn himself in to authorities to be arraigned at 2:15 p.m., Nessel’s office said in a statement at the time.

Nessel’s office accused Geddert of subjecting his athletes to forced labor or services under conditions that caused them to suffer injuries. Geddert then allegedly neglected those injuries and used coercion and intimidation to get them to perform to his standards.

Nessel’s office also alleged that Geddert subjected multiple young women to an environment of abuse and neglected the advice of medical doctors except that of physician Larry Nassar. Nassar was Geddert’s team physician and in-house media expert at his gym Twistars USA Gymnastics Club.

Geddert also allegedly lied to investigators regarding Nassar’s criminal sexual conduct. Nassar was sentenced to decades in prison for his crimes in 2018. 

Geddert was facing 14 counts of human trafficking, six counts of human trafficking of a minor for forced labor, one count of continuing criminal enterprise, one count of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct and one count of lying to a peace officer during a violent crime investigation. 

Updated 5:25 p.m.