EX-US OLYMPICS GYMNASTICS COACH KILLS SELF AFTER ABUSE, TRAFFICKING CHARGES
FORMER US OLYMPICS WOMEN’S GYMNASTICS COACH JOHN GEDDERT DIED BY SUICIDE THURSDAY, HIS BODY FOUND HOURS AFTER HE WAS CHARGED WITH HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND ABUSE OF ATHLETES IN HIS CARE.
HOURS EARLIER NESSEL HAD ANNOUNCED A 24-COUNT CRIMINAL COMPLAINT AGAINST GEDDERT, WHO OWNED AN ELITE TRAINING FACILITY NEAR LANSING, MICHIGAN, WHERE CONVICTED SEX OFFENDER LARRY NASSAR SERVED AS THE GYM DOCTOR.
IN ADDITION TO TWO SEXUAL ASSAULT CHARGES INVOLVING AN UNNAMED ATHLETE BETWEEN THE AGES OF 13 AND 16, 20 COUNTS OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING AND FORCED LABOR WERE THE RESULT OF GEDDERT’S ALLEGED COERCIVE AND ABUSIVE COACHING PRACTICES “AS HE REPORTEDLY SUBJECTED HIS ATHLETES TO FORCED LABOR OR SERVICES UNDER EXTREME CONDITIONS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THEM SUFFERING INJURIES AND HARM.”
NESSEL HAD SAID AT A PRESS CONFERENCE STREAMED ON SOCIAL MEDIA THURSDAY MORNING THAT GEDDERT, 63, WAS EXPECTED TO SURRENDER TO AUTHORITIES AT 2:15 PM ON THURSDAY TO BE ARRAIGNED ON THE CHARGES.
HOWEVER, MICHIGAN STATE POLICE SAID THAT HIS BODY WAS FOUND AT A HIGHWAY REST AREA OUTSIDE LANSING AT 3:24 PM.
GEDDERT COACHED THE US WOMEN’S GYMNASTICS TEAM TO GOLD AT THE 2012 LONDON OLYMPICS.