State Watch

Police search home, former gym of ex-US gymnastics coach

Police searched the home and former gym of ex-U.S. Olympic gymnastics coach John Geddert, officials confirmed Tuesday.

Law enforcement collected at least one box from Geddert’s home in Grand Ledge, Mich., and about four boxes from Twistars in Dimondale, Mich., the gym he used to own where hundreds of women have claimed former U.S. national gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar abused them, the Lansing State Journal reported Tuesday.

A spokesperson for the Michigan Attorney General’s Office confirmed in a statement that the prosecution team investigating Geddert “executed search warrants this morning on his residence and Twistars” with the help of the Grand Ledge Police Department and Michigan State Police.

Grand Ledge Police Chief Thomas Osterholzer told The Hill that officers “assisted investigators from the State of Michigan’s Attorney General’s Office within the City of Grand Ledge this morning” but declined to provide further details. 

Geddert, who was the head coach of the U.S. women’s Olympic gymnastics team in 2012, has been under investigation for almost two years. The investigation was sparked by Nassar’s sentencing hearing, during which several athletes accused Geddert of knowing about Nassar’s abuse, being physically abusive and forcing them to see Nassar. 

Three of Nassar’s 10 sexual assault convictions occurred at Geddert’s gym, according to the Journal.

The former coach, who worked with the disgraced physician, announced his retirement not long after the investigation launched and transferred ownership of Twistars to his wife. He claims he had “zero knowledge” of Nassar’s abuse, according to the Journal.

The Hill reached out to his attorney as well as the Grand Ledge Police Department for comment.

Nassar was sentenced to decades in prison for sexually assaulting gymnasts and possessing child pornography. 

Updated at 3:49 p.m.