Ohio State Moves to Dismiss 77 Strauss Abuse Claims Predating 1986 Federal Law

Ohio State has sincerely and persistently tried to settle with all survivors since 2018 and has reached settlement agreements with a majority of survivors, spokesperson Benjamin Johnson said. As of April 15, 2026, the university has settled with 317 survivors, including some former football players, for more than $61 million.

Both OSU and its former president publicly apologized to each person who endured abuse at the hands of Strauss, who died by suicide in 2005.

Ohio State has been battling Strauss-related lawsuits since 2018, when Mike DiSabato came forward with allegations that Strauss sexually abused him and hundreds of other male athletes. OSU hired the law firm Perkins Coie to conduct an independent investigation.

The Perkins Coie investigation concluded in May 2019 that Strauss sexually abused at least 177 male athletes and students from the mid-1970s to the late 1990s.

The report also concluded that coaches and administrators knew about the abuse for two decades but failed to stop Strauss. Rep. Jim Jordan was an assistant wrestling coach at Ohio State from 1986 to 1994.

Jordan has repeatedly denied any knowledge of what Strauss allegedly did to the athletes. Jim Jordan is not named in the Perkins Coie report. OSU athletic director Andy Geiger testified under oath that Jordan probably knew that Strauss was abusing the wrestlers.

Jordan has been deposed as part of the remaining lawsuits against OSU. Jim Jordan’s deposition testimony remains under seal. Legal experts said Ohio State might have legal grounds to remove Leo DiSabato and other former OSU students victimized prior to 1986.

“Each allegation of abuse is treated individually and if the allegations pre-date October 21, 1986 an argument can be made that they should be dismissed from the case,” NBC News legal analyst Danny Cevallos said. @NBCNews reported that the university still faces five active federal lawsuits in the Southern District of Ohio from 236 men.