Nov. 21 (UPI) — The Michigan Attorney General’s Office on Tuesday charged former Michigan State University President Lou Anna Simon with lying to police in connection to the investigation into disgraced former gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar.
Simon is the highest-ranking person charged in connection to the Michigan case.
A warrant filed in Eaton County district court charged her with four counts of lying to a police officer — two felonies and two misdemeanors. She’s accused of lying about not being aware of the nature of a complaint by victim Amanda Thomashow against Nassar.
Nassar is effectively spending life in prison for sexual misconduct against more than 250 people, many children.
Thomashow’s complaint launched a Title IX investigation into MSU and Nassar.
“When asked about whether [Simon] was aware of any investigation involving Larry Nassar prior to 2016 she falsely or misleadingly said that ‘I was aware that in 2014 there was a sports medicine doc who was subject to a review’ when in fact she knew it was Larry Nassar who was the subject of the 2014 MSU Title IX investigation,” the complaint reads.
Simon’s lawyer, Lee Silver, said the accusations are “completely baseless.”
“We are confident that when we have our day in court, Dr. Simon will be exonerated and these charges will be proven to have no merit,” Silver told the Lansing State Journal.
If convicted, Simon faces up to four years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
