U.S. Figure Skating will pay $1.45 million to Adam Schmidt, a former figure skater who filed a lawsuit claiming that he suffered “numerous sexual assaults” while training with coach Richard Callaghan.
In the lawsuit, Schmidt claims the sexual abuse continued “unabated” because U.S. Figure Skating failed to investigate allegations of sexual misconduct, failed to warn skaters of prior allegations against Callaghan, and did not restrict Callaghan’s access to young children.
Schmidt previously agreed to a $1.75 million settlement with the Michigan ice skating rink where he claims he was sexually abused by Callaghan.
Schmidt is not the only former skater to accuse U.S. Figure Skating of covering up accusations of sexual abuse involving Callaghan.
In July 2020, figure skater and coach Craig Maurizi filed a $10 million sex abuse lawsuit alleging that he was molested by Callaghan from 1977 to 1986, beginning when he was just 14 years old.
He accused U.S. Figure Skating of a “deliberate coverup” to protect Callaghan. He first went public with allegations of sex abuse in 1999, but the organization took no action for nearly two decades.
Callaghan was actively training figure skaters in Florida until 2018, when U.S. Figure Skating finally suspended him amid an investigation by the independent watchdog group U.S. Center for SafeSport.
SafeSpot concluded that Callaghan had a pattern of abusing the skaters he trained, including sexual, physical and emotional abuse.
Callaghan has previously denied “any wrongdoing at any time” through statements by his lawyers.
Under terms of the settlement with Schmidt, U.S. Figure Skating made “no admissions of fault, liability, wrongdoing or misconduct of any kind.”
Source: US Figure Skating pays $1.45 million to settle sexual abuse claims by former skater