A $10 million fund set up by Michigan State University to pay for counseling for victims of the former MSU doctor convicted of sexually abusing patients suspended payments in July and will not resume its work for at least three or four more months, the Detroit News reports. MSU froze the Healing Assistance Fund because of fraud the university said was related to someone who was neither a Larry Nassar victim nor a victim’s family member. MSU reached a historic $500 million settlement with victims last spring. But those funds — which will be paid directly to survivors per the decision of a third-party arbitrator — have not been distributed yet and are separate from the healing fund. Advocates say the healing fund is critical so victims can get the counseling they need to heal and move on with their lives.
MSU launched a police investigation into the fraud earlier this year and parted ways last month with the fund administrator, Commonwealth Mediation and Conciliation Inc. of Massachusetts. Up until June 30, the fund had paid out about $1.2 million. University officials say they issued a new request for proposals from vendors last week, with bids due in mid-December. Nassar was one of the most prolific sex offenders in modern times, abusing young female athletes for decades before he was first publicly accused in September 2016. He was incarcerated essentially for life in January 2018 after more than 200 young women testified that he had assaulted them. Victims told the News they could not afford therapy without help from the assistance fund.