Ex-USA Gymnastics Coach John Geddert Dies by Suicide After Criminal Charges

Former U.S. women's Olympic gymnastics team coach John Geddert was charged with 24 crimes on Thursday, including sexual assault, human trafficking and running a criminal enterprise, per the Associated Press. 

6 News later reported Geddert died by suicide Thursday.

Geddert, who worked with convicted criminal and former doctor Larry Nassar when Geddert was the coach of the 2012 U.S. women's Olympic gymnastics team, was also charged with recruiting minors for forced labor, per the AP and court documents. 

Geddert was suspended from USA Gymnastics during the Nassar trial.

Nassar also worked with Geddert at the latter's gym, Twistars, in Lansing, Michigan.

Nassar was convicted on numerous sexual assault and child pornography charges in both federal and state cases, with combined sentences totaling over 200 years of prison time.  

"What a great best friend John was to Larry for giving him an entire world where he was able to abuse so easily," gymnast Lindsey Lemke said during Nassar's trial in 2018. "You two sure do have a funny meaning of friendship. You, John Geddert, also deserve to sit behind bars right next to Larry."

Authorities also said Geddert lied to investigators in 2016 when he told them he had never received any complaints about Nassar during his career and had "zero knowledge" of Nassar's various crimes. Some gymnasts told authorities Geddert was physically abusive and forced them to visit Nassar.

One woman said Geddert knew that Nassar performed an "inappropriate procedure" on her in the 1990s when she was 16.