A new lawsuit against The Ohio State University contains fresh allegations against Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) in connection to sexual abuse by a longtime team doctor.
The latest complaint includes 40-plus new plaintiffs who allege former team doctor Richard Strauss sexually abused or harassed them, bringing the total number of plaintiffs to 300.
Ohio State officials have reported more than 1,500 individual instances of sexual assault by Strauss, who worked at the university from 1978-1998. Strauss died in 2005.
One accuser, listed as Jon Doe, 42, worked as a wrestling referee for Ohio State. In the complaint, he says Strauss approached him in the shower after one of the matches.
When the man told coaches Russ Hellickson and Jim Jordan about the incident, they allegedly replied, “Yeah, that’s Strauss.”
Jordan worked as an assistant coach at Ohio State from 1987-1995.
In an emailed statement, Jordan's communications director shot down the accusation, saying Jordan “never saw or heard of any kind of sexual abuse, and if he had he would’ve dealt with it. Multiple investigations have confirmed this simple fact.”
Former UFC champion and Ohio State wrestler Mark Coleman said last year that Jordan knew about abuse by Strauss. However, Coleman later backed off his comments.
Jordan was interviewed in July 2018 by the law firm investigating the Strauss allegations on behalf of the university. Multiple former coaching colleagues and ex-athletes have spoken in defense of Jordan.
Ohio State is currently in talks toward a potential settlement with Strauss' accusers.
