WATERTOWN TOWNSHIP, Mich – A rest area along I-96 in Grand Ledge was shut down for hours, and Michigan State Police and its evidence technicians were called out after the body of John Geddert was found behind a dumpster.
Police confirmed that Geddert died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Twenty-four charges were filed against the former Olympics coach, who was expected to present himself for an arraignment Thursday afternoon.
READ: Hours after being charged with 24 felonies, former gymnastics coach John Geddert kills himself
Geddert was the Team USA women’s gymnastics coach in the 2012 Olympics. He also owned Twistars -- a gym in Dimondale where elite gymnasts and novices alike trained, and where Larry Nassar treated the athletes.
Nassar was sentenced to 60 years in federal prison -- 40-125 years in Eaton County prison and 40-175 years in Ingham County prison -- after more than 150 victims came forward accusing him of sexual assault.
Geddert and Nassar were friends, and the charges against Geddert unveiled on Thursday by Attorney General Dana Nessel are serious -- 24 counts total.
Twenty of those charges were for human trafficking and forced labor and are connected to 19 specific athletes.
“It is alleged John Geddert used force, fraud and coercion against the young athletes who came to him for gymnastics training for financial benefit to him,” Nessel said.
Geddert also faced two sexual assault charges connected to one athlete and he had a single charge against him of lying to police.
Investigators and survivors said Geddert knew what Larry Nassar was doing and allowed it to continue. When asked about complaints against Nassar by police in 2016, Nessel alleges that Geddery lied to them.