He coached multiple Olympic medalists and world record holders and was inducted into the American Swim Coaches Hall of Fame in 2015, the lawsuit states.
He also founded the Bernal’s Gator Swim Club, an amateur swim club, and coached Le from 2006 to 2010.
Bernal sexually abused Le from about 2008 to 2014, the lawsuit states.
In February 2016, USA Swimming permanently banned Bernal for his abuse of an unnamed “Athlete A,” the lawsuit states.
Bernal is named on a USA Swimming website listing individuals permanently suspended or ineligible for membership, due to “sexual misconduct.”.
CNN reached out to USA Swimming for comment on the lawsuit.
The suit accuses Bernal, USA Swimming and other defendants of violating the Trafficking Victims Protection Act. »