Five former Ohio State University wrestlers who accused the University of failing to protect them from sexual predator/Athletic Department and Student Health physician Dr. Richard Strauss are pushing local authorities to investigate the reported rape of a victim of Jeffrey Epstein.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/former-ohio-state-wrestlers-support-jeffrey-epstein-accuser-n1097031
The men formally asked Ohio state and federal officials to investigate allegations by artist Maria Farmer that she was sexually assaulted by Epstein in 1996 at a property “owned and secured” by two of OSU’s biggest and best-known benefactors, Abigail and Leslie Wexner. Farmer was working on an art project at Epstein’s guest house on Les Wexner’s Ohio estate when she alleges she was violently sexually assaulted by Epstein and his fellow monster, Ghislaine Maxwell. Farmer was discouraged from leaving the guest house for 12 hours after the assault by Wexner’s security team. In an interview, Farmer explained that during her two-month stay, she never met the Wexners, but had to get permission to leave the property from Abigail Wexner by calling her at the main house.
Dr. Richard Strauss sexually abused at least 177 male students from 1979 to 1996, and school officials failed to take appropriate action despite being aware of numerous reports of the physician’s misconduct over the 17-year period, according to an investigative report released Friday. This freak offed himself in 2005. https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2019/05/17/ohio-state-team-doctor-sexually-abused-students-over-decades-report-finds/
In their letter, the men wrote:
It defies comprehension that Mrs. Wexner is still on the Board of Trustees given the credible allegations of her complicity in keeping Ms. Farmer captive for Jeffrey Epstein in 1996, while, at the same time, Ohio State grapples with how to atone for its complicity in allowing a monster to prey on its students for nearly two decades. . . . Simply put, given the allegations, it appears Mrs. Wexner is as guilty as Ohio State was in facilitating the crimes of a serial sexual predator.
As a reader who sent me this link observed: Everything is always connected. Yes, it is. The Wexners'”spokesperson” of course denied all of these allegations and they have “condemned” the actions of their old pal Jeff. So that makes their donations to OSU and Abigail Wexner’s board seat safe, I guess.
As the article explains, currently Ohio State is grappling with lawsuits filed by around 350 men who contend the university did not protect them from Strauss, who was a staff doctor at the school from 1978 to 1998. A report prepared for OSU by the law firm Perkins Coie, released in May, found that what Strauss was doing to male athletes and students was an “OPEN SECRET” and that coaches and administrators failed to sound the alarm or stop him.
Ms. Farmer told NBC news today that she “will be forever grateful that these courageous men took a stand for me in our shared fight against sexual abuse.”
The Ohio Attorney General is actually reviewing the letter and will “determine an appropriate course of action.” What a concept. The US Attorney’s office in Ohio would not confirm, deny or discuss any potential investigation.
Way to go, OSU. Turn a blind eye to monsterous sexual abuse and then keep a woman on your board of trustees who is very closely linked to her old friend, sex predator Jeffrey Epstein. Why worry about the appearance of impropriety with your board affiliations after you ignored actual, ongoing criminal acts against many of your students for almost two decades. It sure is always connected. OSU seems well-versed at turning the other way. A benefactor is a benefactor, I guess. At least officials in Ohio are considering the voices of victims.