Lawyer says USA Gymnastics paid McKayla Maroney to remain silent about abuse

A lawyer for McKayla Maroney said Wednesday that USA Gymnastics paid the former gymnast to remain silent about allegations of abuse by former team doctor Larry Nassar.

As part of a lawsuit filed on Maroney’s behalf against USA Gymnastics, John Manly, Maroney’s attorney, stated that USA Gymnastics paid Maroney to sign a confidentiality agreement in late 2016, as allegations against Nassar made headlines. According to Rebecca Davis O’Brien of the Wall Street Journal, Maroney received $1.25 million to sign the agreement.

“They were willing to engage in a systematic cover-up of the entire matter,” Manly said, via ESPN’s John Barr.

Manly argued that, while Maroney willingly signed the agreement, she was emotionally traumatized by the Nassar story going public.

“I want people to understand that this kid had no choice. She couldn’t function. She couldn’t work,” Manly said. “They [USAG] were willing to sacrifice the health and well-being of one of the most famous gymnasts in the world because they didn’t want the world to know they were protecting a pedophile doctor.

“Confidentiality agreements in child sex abuse cases are unlawful in the state of California and have been for years. We’re basically saying USAG and its lawyers violated the law by asking McKayla to agree to it and that she should be free to talk about her abuse to whomever she wants, whenever she wants.”

Maroney, along with two of her Fierce Five teammates, have publicly stated they were abused by Nassar, who has been sentenced to 60 years in prison on charges of child pornography.