Penn State taps former FBI director Freeh to head independent investigation

Penn State has tapped a big name to lead an independent investigation into the university’s actions regarding recent sex abuse allegations: former FBI director and federal judge Louis Freeh will head the investigation.

Ken Frazier, chairman of the university’s board of trustees special committee, says it’s critical that this investigation be impartial. He says Freeh offers that and more. “His background as the former director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as a former federal judge, as a former U.S. attorney top prosecutor, as a person who has led the fight against child sex abuse and has no connection to Penn State or the commonwealth of Pennsylvania, I think makes him uniquely qualified to be the kind of person to lead this kind of investigation,” said Frazier. 

The investigation will not be criminal in nature–rather it will address the University’s procedures for handling such accusations.  It will look at reporting protocols, decision-making and oversight among other things. “He has complete reign to follow any lead, look in to every corner of the university, to get to the bottom of what happened, and then to make recommendations to ensure that it never happens again,” said Frazier. Freeh says he’s already begun working.

“I have assembled a team of professionals with many decades of prior investigative, law enforcement, prosecutorial, and judicial experience who are all completely independent of Pennsylvania State University,” said Freeh.

He’s also set up a hotline for tips and information. As of 5 p.m. people can call 855-290-3382 or email PSUhelp@freehgroup.com to leave a tip. Freeh says his investigation will be broad and lengthy, with no specific deadline.

Freeh and his team will be paid by Penn State, but they have not worked out the details of how much and for how long.

When a final report has been presented to the board of trustees, it will be made public.