CLEVELAND, Ohio – George Clooney is bringing the Ohio state sexual abuse scandal to the small screen. Producer-actor-director Smokehouse Pictures is teaming up with Sports Illustrated Studios and others in a series of documentaries based on the cover story by SI executive editor and senior writer Jon Wertheim that brought the story to the national audience last October.
“This article reveals the most widespread sexual abuse scandal in the history of American higher education. It is a story about power, abuse, empowerment and the hierarchy of college sports that has been hidden for a long time, ”said Wertheim in a press release. “As these courageous men made the decision not to remain silent anymore, we can finally begin to hold the aggressor and those who were complicit in its silence responsible for their actions – and omissions. With the help of 101 Studios, Authentic Brands Group and Smokehouse Pictures, their voices and stories – harrowing as they are – will be expanded. “
Clooney and his production partner Grant Heslov added: “We are delighted to partner with 101 Studios and Sports Illustrated to bring this devastating and tragic story to light.”
Dr. Richard Strauss worked at the university in a variety of roles in both student health and athletics from 1978-1996. During that time, he was accused of assaulting more than 350 former athletes and other men.
One of them was former Ohio State fighter Mark Coleman, who was to become the first UFC heavyweight champion in 1997.
“We never thought that a man could sexually abuse a man,” Coleman told Sports Illustrated. “We just threw it away. We joke about it. But I don’t think we were really kidding. “
A report by the law firm Perkins & Coie, hired by OSU to investigate the allegations in 2018, determined that Strauss abused at least 177 male students. The report also concluded that the university knew of its actions as early as 1979 and failed to address them properly.
So far, the state of Ohio has resolved 185 cases with survivors, totaling $ 46.7 million, cleveland.com reported in October. Strauss committed suicide in 2005.
It is not yet known where or when the docuseries will air.