INGHAM COUNTY, Mich. – Former Michigan State University and Olympic gymnastics Dr. Larry Nassar was arraigned Thursday morning on 22 new counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct.
If true, the new allegations reveal a horrifying pattern of abuse by the doctor entrusted with the care of top Olympic athletes.
Nassar, who appeared win court Thursday with a Bible at his side, will now face 22 new counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct. Nine female athletes are accusing Nassar of assaulting them when they were seeking medical treatment.
Watch the arraignment (there is graphic language and evidence against Nassar):
There are now 80 alleged assaults in the case, which Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette said could be the biggest serial sexual assault in Michigan history.
"This guy is disgusting," Schuette said. "He is despicable. He is a monster."
READ:Â Schuette: 'Monster' Larry Nassar's case could be 'biggest serial sexual assault in MI history'
The new charges involved nine girls under 16 years old. One said when she was 10 years old, Nassar touched her genitals without permission while she was getting treatment in the back room of her gymnastics club.
"Young women who came to him for treatment, instead he preyed on them," Schuette said.
Another former gymnast said Nassar performed a myofascial release and massage, which she described as digital penetration, for 23-30 minutes. She said it happened numerous times.
"As a parent, father of a daughter, I cannot imagine the heartache (and) anger by parents who took their daughter to a physician who then sexually assaulted these young women," Schuette said.
Gymnasts said Nassar followed them on social media, and they talked about how touchy he was.
Many of the alleged sexual assaults happened at Geddert's Twistars, the premiere gymnastics organization in Lansing that produced Jordyn Wieber. Owner John Geddert was the head coach for the 2012 Fantastic Five USA gymnastics team.
Geddert has been named in a federal lawsuit for failing to act on parental concerns about Nassar.
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