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Attorney General Bill Schuette announces additional charges against former Michigan State University Gymnastics Dr. Larry Nassar on Feb. 22, 2017.

(Emily Lawler | MLive.com)

LANSING, MI -- More than 80 alleged victims have come forward with complaints against Dr. Larry Nassar, Attorney General Bill Schuette and Michigan State University police officials announced at a press conference Wednesday.

The mounting allegations against the former MSU sports medicine doctor are "certainly one of the biggest cases of serial sexual assault in Michigan's history," Schuette said, urging anybody potentially abused by Nassar to call MSU Police at 844-996-7873

The number of complaints has grown by more than 50 percent since Schuette announced initial charges against Nassar in November.

Those charges are related to alleged abuse of a family friend between the ages of six and 12, and have been bound over for trial in Ingham County Circuit Court.

Twenty-two new first degree criminal sexual conduct charges were announced Wednesday, and are the first criminal charges related to Nassar's practice as a physician. In an affidavit supporting the charges, MSU Detective Sgt. Andrea Munford describes victims as having gone to see Nassar for various ailments, from wrist to foot injuries. In each case, prosecutors allege, Nassar digitally penetrated the girls' vaginas.

Nassar's attorney, Matthew Newburg, declined to comment on the newest charges.

In an affidavit filed in Eaton County's 56A District Court, Munford said an alleged victim identified as "Victim B" was a longtime gymnast at Lansing-area gymnastics gym Twistars. Nassar would allegedly penetrate her vagina and anus with his fingers "more times than she could count" to treat a back injury. She never saw pain relief from Nassar's treatments, she said, but would pretend she had just so he would stop the penetration.

Schuette said it's "outrageous" to describe what happened as a legitimate medical procedure.

"These girls, it should have been a time of innocence for them. But instead Larry Nassar stole that innocence from them. Under the guise of medical treatment he sexually abused, sexually violated these young women," Schuette said.

"This guy is disgusting. This guy is despicable. He is a monster."

In total Nassar now faces 25 state-level criminal sexual conduct charges related to 10 victims. He also faces federal pornography possession charges and is the subject of multiple civil lawsuits.

Schuette said all of the charges are punishable by life in prison.

Nassar's attorneys did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the newly-filed charges.