The former Team USA Gymnastics doctor who is accused of sexually abusing scores of women has pleaded guilty to seven counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, according to The Detroit News.
Larry Nassar, 54, appeared in Michigan’s Ingham County Circuit Court on Wednesday where he entered the guilty plea in exchange for assurances that he would face no more charges involving dozens of other victims, The Detroit News also reported.
According to MLive, the Ingham County case involves eight women who claim Nassar inserted ungloved fingers into their vaginas and rectums at Michigan State University’s sports-medicine clinic and at his home while they were until age 16. Among them is Rachael Denhollander, the first woman to go public with her story of abuse.
“For all those involved, I’m so horribly sorry,” Nassar said in court. “I want them to heal. I want this community to heal.”
Nassar will get a minimum prison sentence of at least 25 years, The Detroit News reports. He has a plea hearing scheduled in Eaton for Nov. 29, a spokesperson tells PEOPLE.
Denhollander was in the courtroom Wednesday alongside other accusers, and also testified during a preliminary hearing for Nassar in May.
In a statement, Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette, announced that Nassar’s sentencing hearing would be held on Jan. 12. All 125 victims, or their parents, will be allowed to give impact statements.
More than 100 women, including several former athletes, have accused Nassar of sexual abuse, including stars like Aly Raisman and McKayla Maroney (who are not part of the Michigan cases). Raisman, 23, recently opened up about the alleged abuse in both a revealing 60 Minutes interview and in her new autobiography, Fierce. She said she was 15 years old when she was first treated by Nassar.
“I didn’t think I was being molested. I didn’t know,” Raisman told PEOPLE. “He was a doctor. I never would have thought that a doctor would misuse his power so much.”
Raisman tweeted about Nassar’s court appearance Wednesday morning, and called him a “monster.”
Nassar’s plea also comes just one day after Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas alleged on Instagram that she too was abused by Nassar.
Her comments came after Maroney made headlines with shocking revelations of her own. Maroney, now 21, alleged that she was abused by Nassar for years, beginning when she was just 13 years old. She recalled an incident when she was 15 in which she claimed Nassar drugged her during a flight to Tokyo.
“Next thing I know, I was all alone with him in his hotel room getting a ‘treatment.’ I thought I was going to die that night,” she added.
Abuse allegations against Nassar first made headlines in 2016 when Denhollander revealed to the Indianapolis Star that she was allegedly abused by the doctor during her time at Michigan State University.
Bhai ek sawal h
yes tell me
what a duchebag, looks like one too. he is going to rot in prison.
yes you are right