15 adults waited to report Larry Nassar abuse allegations, new testimony shows

At least 15 people knew of allegations against former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar in 2015, but did not immediately report them to police or child protective services, according to records and testimony at a Senate hearing Tuesday.

The testimony was before the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety, Insurance and Data Security. The hearing focused on how past efforts to protect Olympic athletes from sexual abuse have failed and what is needed to protect athletes in the future.

Among who were brought before the committee to testify was former USA Gymnastics President and CEO Steve Penny, who declined to answer questions. Throughout a two-year sexual abuse scandal, Penny has declined interviews and not spoken publicly about his handling of the Nassar case.

In testimony Tuesday, Rhonda Faehn, USA Gymnastics' former senior vice president for women’s programs, provided an in-depth look at how USA Gymnastics officials handled the allegations against Nassar during the summer of 2015 — and the emphasis Penny placed on keeping things quiet.

Larry Nassar and USA Gymnastics’ cover story: 'Can we just say that i am sick?'

7 questions we have for USA Gymnastics as its CEO faces a Congressional subcommittee

Faehn's first public statement defended her actions and revealed she relied on her boss, Penny, to notify authorities. Indiana law, however, requires anyone who has reason to believe a child has been abused or neglected to immediately report it to police or the Indiana Department of Child Services.

Faehn said she had been employed by USA Gymnastics for only 37 days when coach Sarah Jantzi contacted her June 17, 2015, with concerns about Nassar's medical treatment and his interaction with a gymnast on social media.

Faehn said she immediately contacted Penny.

"He told me not to say anything or do anything because he was going to handle everything going forward," Faehn said in her written testimony, "and he told me he was going to report the concerns to proper authorities, which I assumed included law enforcement."

Neither Jantzi, Faehn nor Penny reported the allegations to authorities at that time, according to testimony. Both women said Penny assured them he would handle it.

Over the next five weeks, while USA Gymnastics officials conducted their own investigation into the allegations, the list of people aware of the suspected abuse grew.

During that time, USA Gymnastics officials agreed to provide what Nassar's attorney called "false excuses" for his absence from major gymnastics events, rather than disclose to parents and gymnasts that Nassar was under investigation.

How Larry Nassar abused gymnasts for so long Former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar is serving long sentences for decades of sexual abuse of young gymnasts. But how did the sports doctor get away with his crimes for so long? (March 2018)

In her testimony, Faehn said Penny repeatedly reminded her not to discuss the allegations.

Penny also tried to persuade Faehn to reach out to other gymnasts "to meet privately with the interviewer and not involve their coach or their parents," according to an email dated July 13, 2015. Faehn said she was "upset and confused" by Penny's email and refused.

On July 21, 2015, Penny sent an email to eight people affiliated with USA Gymnastics that indicated they were aware of the allegations against Nassar.

"You are instructed to not have any conversations with anyone concerning this issue until further notice," Penny wrote in the email.

USA Gymnastics officials reported the allegations to the FBI about a week later.

Nassar was not arrested until more than a year later, when new allegations arose after a 2016 IndyStar investigation exposed widespread sexual abuse problems at USA Gymnastics. He was sentenced in January to 40 to 175 years in prison on seven counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct.

More than 330 girls and women have come forward claiming they were abused by Nassar over more than two decades. In a separate case, Nassar was sentenced to 60 years in prison on child pornography charges.

USA Gymnastics fired Faehn last month. Faehn's testimony appears to link her firing to the request that she testify before the Senate subcommittee.

Faehn said she was attending a national team training camp in Tennessee May 17, when she hopped on a call with USA Gymnastics President and CEO Kerry Perry.

During that call, Faehn told Perry that she had been invited to speak during the Senate subcommittee hearing and that USA Gymnastics' chief legal officer had suggested she decline. Perry "acted like she was surprised to hear that if I declined the invitation, I would be subpeonaed," Faehn said.

Faehn said Perry put her on hold, then came back on the phone and told her to "immediately return to Indianapolis." When Faehn protested because she was in the middle of the training camp, USA Gymnastics' legal counsel joined the call and told Faehn she was being asked to resign.

Faehn said she refused.

How USA Gymnastics defined 'immediately' USA Gymnastics says it "immediately notified law enforcement" about Larry Nassar. But emails, interviews and documents tell a different story.

In her testimony, she said she was in the process of implementing new policies to protect gymnasts, such as a program that requires young female gymnasts to be accompanied by a chaperone when they travel abroad.

Faehn said she "would like to be a part of a solution that prevents the tragic harm that has occurred."

"I feel a deep sense of loss, sympathy, sadness and compassion for the victims of Nassar, on whom my most sincere loyalties have always been focused," Faehn said, "and whose concerns should have been reported to law enforcement authorities at the earliest possible moment, as I assumed was being done at the time, and as I would have done, had I known then what I know now."

Call IndyStar reporter Marisa Kwiatkowski at (317) 444-6135. Follow her on Twitter: @IndyMarisaK.

Call IndyStar reporter Tim Evans at (317) 444-6204. Follow him on Twitter: @starwatchtim.