Neil Gaiman Denies Sexual Misconduct Allegations

Neil Gaiman, the acclaimed British author known for works like The Sandman and American Gods, issued a statement on Monday denying allegations of sexual misconduct leveled against him by multiple women over the past year and a half. In the message posted on his website, Gaiman described the claims as a "smear campaign" and asserted his innocence, citing emails, text messages, and video evidence that he says contradict the accusations.

The allegations first surfaced in July 2024 through a podcast investigation, where five women accused Gaiman of sexual assault, abuse, and coercion spanning from 1986 to 2022. The women described encounters involving non-consensual rough sex, humiliation, and power imbalances, including instances where Gaiman allegedly required them to address him as "master." Additional accounts from four more women appeared in a detailed magazine report in January 2025, bringing the total number of accusers to at least nine. These claims occurred in locations including the United States, Britain, and New Zealand, often tied to Gaiman's professional or personal relationships.

One prominent accuser, Scarlett Pavlovich, who worked as a nanny for Gaiman and his...