A former U.S. gymnastics coach charged with human trafficking and other sex crimes against young girls has committed suicide.
According to a Michigan state criminal complaint, John Geddert, the coach responsible for leading the U.S. women’s gymnastics team during the 2012 Olympic games in London, was facing 20 counts of human trafficking and forced labor resulting in injury, one count of racketeering, two counts of criminal sexual conduct and one count of lying to police.
Police say he had ties to former U.S. gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar, who is serving over 100 years in prison for sex crimes against young girls during his time as a physician. Several gymnasts have publicly accused Nassar of sexually assaulting them while at Geddert’s Twistars gym in Dimondale, Michigan.
State Attorney General Dana Nessel told reporters that “John Geddert used force, fraud, and coercion against the young athletes.”
The two criminal sexual conduct counts stemmed from accusations that Geddert sexually penetrated a girl under the age of 16 in January 2012. Geddert’s charge of lying to police was the result of his alleged knowledge of Nassar’s crimes.
Authorities confirmed that Geddert shot himself at a rest stop in Grand Ledge Thursday afternoon after the Michigan Attorney General’s office announced the charges.
