Sex abuse lawsuits have been filed by male and female cheerleaders against coaches, gyms, Varsity Spirit, U.S. All Star Federation (USASF), and others for covering up the abuse.
What You Can Do & How We Can Help
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting cheerleading sex abuse induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know is a cheerleader who was sexually abused, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Sexual Abuse Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
What is the Problem?
A growing number of sex abuse lawsuits have been filed by male and female competitive cheerleaders against gyms, coaches, and other top organizations.
These coaches and organizations are accused of creating a culture of sexual abuse, failing to stop known abusers, and ignoring complaints from athletes who reported the abuse.
The lawsuits name Varsity Spirit, a multi-billion dollar organization at the top of competitive cheerleading. Varsity created U.S. All Star Federation (USASF), the governing body for all-star cheer and dance.
VIDEO: Cheer Sex Abuse Lawsuit Against Varsity Spirit
Sexual Abuse in All-Star Cheer Gyms & Hotels
Unlike school cheerleading, All-Star Cheer (or competitive cheer) is a year-round sport that focuses on competing. Competitive cheerleaders start training when they are teenagers, ripe for grooming from pedophiles. They are encouraged to spend long hours training with coaches and choreographers, usually without a parent present. They also travel and stay in hotels for competitions all over the country.
Cheerleading Gyms in 7 States Hit With Sex Abuse Lawsuits
In December 2022, a group of 21 cheerleaders filed sex abuse lawsuits against gyms in 7 states. The lawsuits accuse the gyms of creating a culture of sexual abuse, pornography, and adults who use drugs and alcohol to abuse minors — often in hotel rooms when they were traveling for competitions.
Rockstar Cheer Shuts Down After Sex Abuse Lawsuits, Owner Suicide
One of the top competitive cheerleading gyms was Rockstar Cheer, which was founded by Scott Foster in Greenville, North Carolina.
Foster shot and killed himself in August 2022, after being hit by a civil sex abuse lawsuit. Some of the accusations stretch back 20 years, according to lawyers for survivors.
Foster was also under investigation by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for covering up the sexual abuse, and giving other adults access to teenage boys and girls to be sexually abused.
Varsity Spirit Hit With Cheerleading Sex Abuse Lawsuit
In October 2022, a cheerleading sex abuse lawsuit was filed against Varsity Brands LLC, the top organization in competitive cheer.
The lawsuit claims that Varsity and its subsidiaries (which allegedly control “every aspect of cheerleading at every level”) knew about rampant sexual abuse and failed to stop it.
Varsity is accused of putting profits over the well-being of athletes, creating a system where cheerleaders spent a lot of time with coaches or choreographers without a parent, and failing to protect male and female cheerleaders from sexual abuse at hotels during competitions.
The lawsuit was filed by “John Doe 1,” an ex-cheerleader who claims that he was sexually abused as a teenager by coaches and a choreographer at the Cheer Extreme Raleigh gym in North Carolina.
He said he started cheering for Cheer Extreme Raleigh when he was 14 or 15 years old. Soon afterward, an older male coach started a sexual relationship with him that the gym owners knew about.
He also claims that another coach sent him nude pictures. Yet another coach showed up drunk at his hotel room and forced him to perform oral sex. He also accuses a choreographer of sexual abuse.
The defendants include Varsity Brands LLC, Varsity Spirit LLC, U.S. All Start Federation, USA Federation for Sport Cheering (doing business as USA Cheer), Bain Capital and other investors, Cheer Extreme Raleigh LLC, individual coaches, and other defendants.
The sex abuse lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina — Case Number 5:22-cv-00430.
Do I have a Cheerleading Sex Abuse Lawsuit?
The Schmidt Firm, PLLC is currently accepting cheerleading sex abuse induced injury cases in all 50 states. If you or somebody you know is a cheerleader who was sexually abused, you should contact our lawyers immediately for a free case consultation. Please use the form below to contact our Sexual Abuse Litigation Group or call toll free 24 hours a day at (866) 920-0753.
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