Acclaimed author Neil Gaiman has been hit with a lawsuit accusing him of sexual assault and rape. Filed on February 3 in a Wisconsin federal court, the lawsuit was brought forward by Scarlett Pavlovich, the former nanny of Gaiman and his estranged wife, Amanda Palmer.
According to documents obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, Pavlovich alleges that Gaiman raped her multiple times while she worked as a nanny in his household, claiming that the abuse was a condition of her employment. The lawsuit further accuses the American Gods author of having a “decades-long history of sexual misconduct,” with multiple women allegedly signing non-disclosure agreements.
The lawsuit follows recent controversy surrounding Gaiman. Last month, Dark Horse Comics announced it would cease publishing adaptations of his work after New York Magazine published a cover story detailing allegations of sexual misconduct based on interviews with eight women.
Gaiman has denied the accusations, stating, “Some of the horrible stories now being told simply never happened, while others have been so distorted from what actually took place that they bear no relationship to reality.”
The lawsuit details violent assaults beginning in 2022 and alleges that Palmer was aware of the abuse. Pavlovich claims she was unpaid and unable to leave due to financial instability. “Gaiman and Palmer intended to have Scarlett trapped, vulnerable, and penniless,” the lawsuit states.