Twenty women added their names to a federal lawsuit against former Michigan State doctor Larry Nassar on Thursday, nearly doubling the number of women who are part of one of three civil lawsuits against the alleged sexual abuser.
In total, 69 women have filed suit against the doctor and other related parties in federal courts. Others have filed separate suits in state courts. Attorneys representing the multiple lawsuits say they expect to add more plaintiffs.
Nassar, 53, is accused of having assaulted dozens of young women, most of them under the guise of medical treatment. Nassar worked at Michigan State for two decades as a team physician, and he worked with USA Gymnastics during the same time frame.
He faces 25 counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and two charges of child pornography possession.
Through his lawyers, Nassar has claimed that the alleged assaults were a legitimate medical treatment.
The new documents include similar allegations to the ones previously made against Nassar -- that he penetrated the plaintiffs' vaginas and anuses with his fingers during medical appointments. Several of the new complaints also allege that Nassar made inappropriate comments of a sexual nature while he was treating them.
The new list of plaintiffs includes women who claim they were assaulted as teenagers in youth gymnastics programs as well as former student-athletes and a cheerleader at Michigan State.
One woman said that an athletic trainer entered the room while Nassar was penetrating her and Nassar "jumped up from his stool." She asked not to receive that type of treatment going forward based on his reaction. Others claimed that the accusers' parents were in the room during the alleged assaults.
Also Thursday, Steve Penny stepped down from his role as president of USA Gymnastics amid mounting pressure about how the organization reacted to complaints about Nassar. Penny is listed as a defendant in several of the lawsuits that include former gymnasts from the USA Gymnastics program.