Olympic gymnast McKayla Maroney has filed a lawsuit claiming that USA Gymnastics tried to prevent her from publicly accusing former team doctor Larry Nassar of sexual abuse.
According to the lawsuit, obtained by USA Today Sports, Maroney alleges that she was forced to sign a confidentiality agreement as part of a financial settlement that she needed to pay for psychological treatment.
According to Maroney's attorney, John Manly, "They [USAG] were willing to sacrifice the health and well-being of one of the most famous gymnasts in the world because they didn't want the world to know they were protecting a pedophile doctor."
Per USA Today Sports,
The Wall Street Journal reported Maroney's settlement was worth $1.25 million.
In her lawsuit, Maroney claims that USA Gymnastics "had a plan to keep the sexual abuse of Nassar quiet, and allow Nassar to quietly leave USAG; further silencing his victims."
Maroney ultimately violated the terms of her confidentiality agreement in October, when she publicly revealed that she had been abused by Nassar.
According to ESPN, the lawsuit filed Wednesday names the United States Olympic Committee, USA Gymnastics, Nassar and his full-time employer, Michigan State, as defendants.
Nassar pled guilty for seven counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct last month. Each offense comes with a minimum of 25 to 40 years of prison time and a maximum of a life sentence.
