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| Photo Credit: AP. |
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A lawsuit alleging the rampant sexual abuse of underage athletes at a competitive cheerleading gym in South Carolina has been amended to name six more coaches as defendants and three more accusers.
The accusers
— now seven female and two male — say in the federal lawsuit amended Thursday
that they were sexually abused by coaches at Rockstar Cheerleading and Dance in
Greenville, which is in the northwestern corner of the state. The accusers’
lawyers allege that sexual abuse at the gym could date back two decades and
that there could be 100 more victims who haven’t come forward.
One of the
plaintiffs’ lawyers, Bakari Sellers, likened the case to that of Larry Nassar,
the former USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University doctor who is serving a
minimum of 40 years in prison after admitting that he molested some of the
nation’s top gymnasts for years.
None of the
Rockstar coaches have been charged and The Associated Press is not naming them.
State and federal law enforcement agencies are investigating the gym and other
cheerleading outlets and have seized computers, cellphones and other evidence,
one of the accusers’ lawyers, James Bannister, said earlier this month. He said
the agencies asked lawyers not to identify them.
According to
the lawsuit, the abuse ranged from rape and forced oral sex to molestation and
pressuring children as young as 13 to send nude photos of themselves to
coaches. The lawsuit also details instances in which coaches gave students
alcohol and cannabis at their homes and in hotel rooms during cheerleading
competitions.
The
allegations first centered on the gym’s founder, Scott Foster, who was found
dead in his car on Aug. 22. The coroner determined he died of a self-inflicted
gunshot wound to the head.
Kathy
Foster, his widow, announced in earlier this month that Rockstar Cheerleading
and Dance would close “indefinitely.”
“Although
this was a difficult decision, I believe it is the best option under the
circumstances,” Foster said in a statement reported by local NBC affiliate
WYFF. “Over the past 15 years, our incredible athletes have worked hard to
build a winning legacy and I will always be extremely proud of each of them. I
ask for privacy for my children and for those personally affected during this
difficult time.”
The amended
suit details several instances in which it alleges that athletes were abused
outside of South Carolina at events sanctioned by Varsity Spirit, which runs
competitions, and the U.S. All Star Federation, the country’s cheerleading
governing body.
Varsity
Spirit President Bill Seely said in a Sept. 1 statement that the accusations
detailed “abhorrent criminal, predatory conduct” and were “devastating to
hear.” In an Aug. 30 statement, USASF said the organization was “devastated to
learn of allegations about potential abuse.” The statement declined to comment
on developments while law enforcement investigations are underway and
reiterated that members should report any allegations.
The
plaintiffs’ attorneys said they expect to file more lawsuits naming other
perpetrators at other gyms around the country.
“We’re talking about serious repeated abuse
that was reported to everyone including the Greenville County Sheriff’s
Department,” attorney Bakari Sellers said in a statement. “For Varsity Spirit,
the USASF and Bain Capital, these survivors didn’t matter. Their checks did.
They did nothing to stop this abuse then and they’re doing nothing now.”
James
Pollard is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America
Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service
program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered
issues.