The Ohio State University has agreed to a $100 Million settlement with nearly 300 former students who alleged they were sexually abused by a campus doctor over the course of two decades.
The university's Board of Trustees approved the Ohio State sexual abuse settlement on June 3, resolving claims against former team physician Dr. Richard Strauss.
The doctor, who was employed by Ohio State's athletic department and medical staff for nearly 20 years, is accused of sexually assaulting students during medical exams.
When added to the more than $61 Million already paid out to over 317 survivors, Ohio State's total compensation to Strauss survivors now exceeds $161 Million — one of the largest university sexual abuse settlement totals in U.S. history.
At Sokolove Law, we stand with survivors of sexual abuse. If you or a loved one experienced abuse at the hands of a trusted authority figure, including a doctor, coach, or university staff member, we may be able to help you seek justice.
What the Ohio State Strauss Settlement Covers
The Ohio State Dr. Strauss settlement resolves claims brought by 279 of the 280 remaining survivors who had not yet reached agreements with the university. The deal was unanimously approved 14-0 by Ohio State's Board of Trustees.
A court-appointed special master will conduct individual interviews with the survivors to assess the nature and extent of the harm they suffered. Those findings will help determine each survivor's share of the $100 Million settlement fund.
The agreement marks a major milestone in years of litigation over allegations that Strauss sexually abused students and athletes during his tenure at Ohio State. In 2018, a former wrestler was the first to accuse the physician of sexually abusing him and hundreds of other male athletes.
The History of Ohio State Abuse Settlements
The June 2026 agreement is the final chapter in a series of payouts that stretch back to 2020. Added together, Ohio State has agreed to pay out more than $161 Million to 599 survivors across 6 years of litigation.
The Ohio State sex abuse settlements include:
- $40.9 Million for 162 survivors, with an average payout of $252,000, in March 2020
- $5.8 Million for 23 additional survivors, again averaging $252,000, in October 2020
- $11.1 Million for 47 survivors in September 2021
- $1.9 Million for 57 survivors in March 2022
- $350,000 for 10 survivors in July 2022
- $800,000 for 8 survivors in February 2026
- $1.8 Million for 13 survivors in April 2026
- $100 Million for 279 survivors in June 2026
The $100 Million Ohio state Strauss settlement payout date will depend on when the settlement is finalized and individual survivor amounts are calculated.
Beyond Compensation: Support for Survivors
Financial settlements are only part of what Ohio State has committed to providing. Since 2019, the university has covered the cost of professionally certified counseling services and other treatment for survivors and their families.
Anyone who paid out of pocket for counseling related to Strauss's abuse can also be reimbursed for those past costs. Survivors can access these services through Praesidium, an independent third-party provider, without sharing any information with the university.
"Dreams were broken, relationships with loved ones were damaged, and the harm now carries over to our children as many of us have become so overprotective that it strains the relationship with our kids."
– Ohio State Sex Abuse Survivor
Who Was Richard Strauss at Ohio State?
Dr. Richard Strauss served as a physician at Ohio State University from 1978 until his retirement in 1998. During that time, he worked as a team doctor in Ohio State's athletic department, where he had regular, unsupervised access to student athletes and other patients.
Strauss, who died by suicide in 2005, used the pretext of medical exams to grope and sexually assault male students. He's also accused of showering with students. The abuse spanned 20 years. The university allegedly knew but did nothing.
A sweeping independent investigation completed in 2019 found that Strauss had sexually abused at least 177 male students and that university staff were aware of the abuse as early as 1979 — 17 years before the school began investigating the allegations.
The report found that Strauss abused members of 15 university athletic teams, with the assaults escalating in severity over time. At least 48 wrestlers were abused by the physician, according to the report.
The 2019 investigative report prompted around 600 survivors to file lawsuits against Ohio State, alleging that they had been abused by Strauss and that the university had shown deliberate indifference to the abuse taking place on campus.
The Ohio State Sexual Abuse Scandal: A Decades-Long Pattern of Institutional Failure
What makes this case particularly devastating is not just the abuse itself, but the systemic failure to stop it. Many are left wondering if Ohio State University's athletic success has come at a cost too steep for students to bear.
Survivors allege that for two decades, Ohio State allowed a predator to operate in plain sight, prioritizing institutional reputation over the well-being of its students.
"Dozens of people who worked as coaches or athletic trainers told investigators that they had been aware of rumors and complaints against Strauss. The abuse was so widely known that it left some students with the idea that it was simply accepted by other university personnel."
– NPR
Sexual abuse is something no student should have to experience simply for a sports team to perform better. Many of the men who came forward describe lasting psychological harm, including depression, anxiety, difficulty with trust, and the profound trauma of having their abuse dismissed and denied for years.
For many survivors, the Ohio State lawsuit settlement is not just financial compensation. It's validation. It's accountability. It's the acknowledgment they were never given at the time.
What the Ohio State Sex Abuse Case Means for Other Survivors
The Ohio State settlement is part of a broader wave of legal accountability being brought against public schools, universities, religious institutions, youth organizations, and other entities that failed to protect people in their care.
Over the last several years, major institutions have faced significant legal and financial consequences for enabling or ignoring abuse:
- $4.8 Billion Los Angeles County settlement for sexual abuse in juvenile detention facilities and foster care
- $2.46 Billion Boy Scouts of America settlement for widespread sexual abuse of children
- $500 Million Michigan State University settlement related to Larry Nassar's abuse of gymnasts
These cases share a common thread: Powerful institutions knew about abuse and chose silence over accountability. In each case, survivors came forward, took legal action, and ultimately forced the reckoning that leadership refused to initiate.
The Ohio State settlement sends a clear message — universities and institutions can and will be held legally accountable when they turn a blind eye to abuse.
Sokolove Law: Fighting for Survivors of Sexual Abuse
No one should have to fight alone for justice after being abused by someone in a position of trust. Whether the abuse occurred at a university, a hospital, a youth organization, or another institution, survivors have the right to pursue compensation and hold those responsible accountable.
At Sokolove Law, we've spent over 45 years fighting for survivors of sexual abuse and other serious harm.
Our experienced sexual abuse attorneys know how to navigate complex institutional cases — and we're here to support you every step of the way.
There are no upfront costs and no hourly fees to work with our team. We only get paid if you do.
Call (800) 995-1212 now or fill out our contact form to get started with a free, confidential case review.
