Federal judges have dismissed three lawsuits accusing bestselling fantasy author Neil Gaiman of sexually assaulting his children's nanny, Scarlett Pavlovich, in New Zealand. The allegations, which date back to 2022, were brought to court in various states but ultimately ruled to be outside their jurisdiction.

Lawsuits Filed Across Multiple States
Scarlett Pavlovich filed a lawsuit against Gaiman and his wife, Amanda Palmer, in February 2025 in Wisconsin, alleging multiple sexual assaults during her employment as the family’s nanny. In addition to the Wisconsin suit, she filed lawsuits against Palmer in Massachusetts and New York on the same day. The legal actions stemmed from Pavlovich's claims that she was sexually assaulted by Gaiman shortly after she began working for the couple.

Jurisdiction Issues Lead to Dismissals
Pavlovich's legal journey faced complications as she dropped the New York lawsuit against Palmer in May 2025, citing confusion over jurisdiction due to Palmer's relocation. US District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil in New York granted her request. Subsequently, she also abandoned part of the Wisconsin lawsuit against Palmer, which led to US District Judge James Peterson dismissing the remaining claims in October 2025, directing Pavlovich to pursue her case in New Zealand. On Friday, US District Judge Nathaniel Gorton in Boston dismissed the Massachusetts filing on the same grounds.

Allegations of Abuse and Coercion
Pavlovich has publicly identified herself and discussed her allegations in an interview with New York magazine, where she claimed that Gaiman's assaults began on the night they met in February 2022 and continued while she remained in the household due to financial desperation. She alleged that Gaiman had promised to assist her writing career. According to her claims, she confided in Palmer about the assaults, who allegedly informed her that numerous other women had made similar allegations against Gaiman.

Claims of Human Trafficking
Pavlovich's lawsuits included serious allegations against both Gaiman and Palmer, asserting that they violated federal human trafficking laws and demanding at least $7 million in damages. Gaiman has publicly denied the allegations, stating that he has never sexually abused anyone.

Wrap-up
The dismissal of these lawsuits has significant implications for both Gaiman and the broader conversation surrounding allegations of sexual misconduct in the entertainment industry. The legal outcomes reflect ongoing challenges in navigating jurisdictional issues in cases involving multiple states and international claims.

Sources: theguardian.com

@hoju-korean.com Editorial Team