Ohio State: 145 firsthand accounts of doctor sex misconduct

COLUMBUS (AP) — At least 145 people have provided firsthand accounts of sexual misconduct by a former Ohio State University team doctor accused of groping scores of male athletes and other students during his two decades there.

They're among more than 335 people interviewed by the law firm hired to investigate allegations raised this year about Dr. Richard Strauss, according to an update from the university's attorney that was read today to an Ohio State trustees' committee by Provost Bruce McPheron.

The people interviewed by Seattle-based Perkins Coie so far include employees from athletics, the health center and human resources, as well as administrators from that time period, though some key witnesses are now deceased, according to the letter.

The team has searched 525 boxes of university records for relevant materials, and the investigators say that number likely will double as investigators continue trying to track down decades-old information from papers and people.

"The significant passage of time that has occurred since Strauss' tenure at the university brings with it the additional challenge of scattered witnesses who must first be identified, then located, and then willing to cooperate," McPheron read.

The allegations dating from 1979 to 1997 now involve male athletes from at least 16 sports, plus Strauss' work at the student health center and his off-campus medical office. Investigators also are reviewing whether university officials properly responded to any concerns raised about Strauss during his tenure, and whether Strauss examined high school students.

No deadline is set for completing the nearly 5-month-old investigation, but the lawyers estimate their fact-finding efforts could wrap up this fall if no further avenues of inquiry arise.

Some of the trustees on the Audit and Compliance Committee also are on a task force monitoring the investigation.