US Figure Skating to Pay $1.5M Settlement in Richard Callaghan Sexual Abuse Lawsuit

U.S. Figure Skating agreed to pay $1.5 million in a settlement to Adam Schmidt, who filed a lawsuit alleging the organization was negligent in failing to protect him from sexual abuse, according to Pete Madden of ABC News.

The terms of the settlement state the governing body is "making no admissions of fault, liability, wrongdoing or misconduct of any kind, and no admissions as to the validity of any the claims or defenses in the action."

"I think the settlement speaks for itself," Schmidt said. "People don’t settle things for millions of dollars for nothing."

Schmidt also received a $1.75 million settlement from the Michigan skating rink where he said the abuse took place.

In the lawsuit, Schmidt said Callaghan sexually abused him multiple times while training with the coach in Michigan between 1999 and 2001.

Callaghan had been accused of sexual abuse previously but "the federation dismissed the grievance without full consideration because skating bylaws stipulated that alleged misconduct must be reported within 60 days," per Madden and Cho Park. As a result, Callaghan was allowed to continue coaching.

In July, former skater Craig Maurizi filed a lawsuit against Callaghan and U.S. Figure Skating alleging the former coach sexually abused him in the 1970s and 1980s. Maurizi had reported the alleged abuse to U.S. Figure Skating in 1999.

Callaghan has denied any misconduct and his initial lifetime ban from U.S. Figure Skating was overturned and lowered to a three-year suspension.

The long-time coach was known for leading Tara Lipinski to an Olympic gold medal in 1998, also coaching 1996 world champion Todd Eldredge.