MSU Interim President Engler responds to payoff claim by Nassar survivor

(WJBK) - The Michigan State University Interim President has responded to an allegation he offered a Larry Nassar survivor $250,000 to settle her case.

Engler said in a statement from WLNS  that he remembered a different meeting than Kaylee Lorincz and he is "sorry if anything said during" their meeting was "misunderstood."

The allegation of a secret payoff offer by Engler was brought up by Lorincz at the MSU Board of Trustees meeting Friday morning.  She said Engler asked her "If I wrote you a check for $250,000, would you take it?" 

MORE: Nassar survivor says MSU interim president offered her $250K to settle

Lorincz said when she explained it wasn't about the money, he told her to give her a number. She says he told her he met with Rachel Denhollander, and that she gave him a number. Denhollander was the first survivor to file a criminal complaint against Larry Nassar back in 2016. 

"I felt like I was getting bullied into saying something," Lorincz said.

She added that she followed up with Rachel, who told her she had never met with Engler - and never gave a dollar amount.

Engler has responded:

"I met with Kaylee and Lisa Lorincz's on March 28. Also in the meeting were Carol Viventi and Emily Guerrant. We felt it was important to hear her experience as a survivor first-hand, as well as her ideas on how to improve our processes and culture. Given the current litigation, opportunities to speak with survivors are rare.

Our memories and interpretations of the March 28 meeting are different than hers. I am sorry if anything said during the meeting was misunderstood. Regardless, since mediation of all claims begins on April 25, there will be an appropriate place for discussions concerning what would be a fair and equitable resolution.  

We, too, hope for a joint resolution to these heinous crimes. We'll be working for an equitable settlement to allow all the survivors to move forward in their process of healing."

In the meeting Friday, Lorincz said that Engler attacked her attorneys, who were not present for this meeting.

She said Engler rolled his eyes, and said it was "only a slap on the butt." 

That's when Lorincz was cut off and told her time was up, as the crowd chanted, "Let her speak." She persisted and kept speaking, saying MSU tried to make them feel like they (the victims) were the problem and that the school was the victim. 

"When you protect and promote a sexual predator and foster a culture of lies and cover-ups, you are responsible," she said. "You created this, not me. I can no longer care about helping MSU, and you guys, certainly, do not. You are the ones who care about the money and I just want my life back."