Former top US Olympic Committee official arrested on child pornography charges

A former top USOC official quit an IOC commission after his arrest on child pornography charges.

Photo: Former top US Olympic Committee official arrested on child pornography charges

John Krimsky, a former USOC marketing chief, pleaded not guilty in state court in Danbury, Connecticut, on Dec. 3 to four counts, including promoting a minor in an obscene performance, criminal attempt at possession of child pornography and third-degree possession of child pornography.

The International Olympic Committee "took note" Tuesday of Krimsky's resignation from its Olympic Philately, Numismatic and Memorabilia Commission. The panel - chaired by former IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch - deals with Olympic stamps, coins and pins and other collectors' items.

Krimsky's resignation letter, dated Dec. 5, was sent to the IOC ethics commission. It was then forwarded to the IOC executive board.

Krimsky was with the USOC from 1986-99, when he resigned to return to private business.

He helped raise US$2 billion for U.S. Olympic programs and was at the center of efforts to bounce back from the Salt Lake City bid scandal. Krimsky negotiated with the IOC for the USOC's share of Olympic revenues.

In 2000, he was named president of YankeeNets Properties and chief marketing officer of YankeeNets, a merger between the New York Yankees and New Jersey Nets.

Krimsky's arrest resulted from a 2005 tip from the New York Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which prompted an investigation that found he had traded child pornography images with another person, state police said.

Investigators seized his home computers and found 329 images that appeared to be child pornography. Some were of children who appeared to be between 5 and 15 posing or involved in sexual acts, according to a warrant for his arrest.

He was released on US$50,000 bond and is due back in court Dec. 20.