Justice Department watchdog finds flaws in FBI's reporting of sex crimes against children

WASHINGTON — The FBI has failed to report all suspected child sexual abuse cases to appropriate law enforcement agencies despite changes prompted by its handling of the case against former USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar, according to a Justice Department watchdog report released Thursday.

In a review of more than 300 cases in 2021 and 2023, the inspector general found no evidence that the FBI complied with mandatory reporting requirements to local law enforcement about 50 percent of the time. When the FBI did make a report, it did so within the 24-hour period, as is required by Justice Department policy, in only 43 percent of the cases.

In one case, the FBI did not take appropriate investigative action for more than a year after it received an allegation of abuse by a registered sex offender, according to the report. The person was accused of abusing at least one other person over 15 months while the FBI failed to appropriately act, the review found.

The inquiry was brought about by the FBI's failures to promptly investigate Larry Nassar. It found numerous problems with the agency's handling of allegations of sex crimes against children, and the inspector general flagged 42 cases to the FBI in which it found concerns, included ones where there was no evidence of that the FBI had taken any recent investigative steps.

A senior FBI official acknowledged that the bureau has made mistakes in investigating crimes against children but said the “vast majority of work” has been handled appropriately. The official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity under ground rules set by the FBI, said the bureau has put in place policies and processes to continue to improve because “this is a no-fail mission.”

“Ensuring the safety and security of children is not just a priority for the FBI; it is a solemn duty that we are committed to fulfilling with the highest standards. The FBI’s efforts combating crimes against children are among the most critical and demanding undertakings we do,” the FBI said in a statement.

Even while acknowledging errors, the FBI official cited the “overwhelming” burden on agents tasked with investigating crimes against children given the conduct involved, an influx in tips flooding in to law enforcement, increased use of encrypted technology to conceal the offenses and budget cuts.

The report follows a Justice Department inspector general inquiry into the FBI's handling of sexual abuse allegations against Nassar. That inquiry found that the FBI's failure to promptly investigate the allegations against Nassar allowed the doctor to continue to prey on victims for months before his 2016 arrest.