Neil Gaiman shares the messages he claims will refute allegations made by his ‘fantasist’ former nanny

Neil Gaiman is clapping back at one of the women who has accused him of sexual assault. The English author has been relatively quiet since the exposé into his alleged assaults was published last year, but now he is providing messages that he claims prove his innocence.

In July 2024, Tortoise Media released the podcast Master: The Allegations Against Neil Gaiman, in which several women came forward alleging that Gaiman sexually assaulted or abused them. Then, in January of his year, New York magazine published an article covering the same topic, including statements from the women who participated in the podcast, as well as a few others who came out with similar stories. One of the women who participated in both is Scarlett Pavlovich, who once worked for Gaiman and his ex-wife as their son’s nanny.

I wrote about Neil Gaiman, and the women accusing him of sexual assault, coercion and abuse. https://t.co/jZQduTT0Vj

— lila pearl (@lilapearl) January 13, 2025

Last month, Pavlovich filed a lawsuit against Gaiman, seeking $7 million in damages. In the filing, she detailed several instances of sexual assault that she claimed occurred while she worked as a live-in nanny. According to Pavlovich, she confided in Gaiman’s ex-wife, Amanda Palmer, about the incidents, but she took no action. Palmer is also named in the lawsuit and is accused of facilitating the alleged abuse.

Gaiman has recently filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, claiming that his former nanny’s accusations are not true. “None of Pavlovich’s claims are true. She is a fantasist who has fabricated a tale of abuse against me and Ms. Palmer,” the document read. Attached to the filing were some screenshots of WhatsApp messages allegedly sent by Pavlovich, one of which stated, “I am consumed by thoughts of you, the things you will do to me. I’m so hungry. What a terrible creature you’ve turned me into.” In another message, Pavlovich thanked Gaiman for a “lovely lovely night.” 

Neil Gaiman says nanny's allegations are 'a sham' https://t.co/1BEnJAWNk3

— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) March 5, 2025

Gaiman noted these texts prove that his acc was an “enthusiastic participant” and claimed that she was the one who initiated the “many” instances of their physical encounters. His legal team also pointed out that an investigation had been done in New Zealand, but according to authorities, no charges were filed against their client, and the case was officially closed in April 2024. Furthermore, they argued the courts in the U.S. — where the lawsuit was filed — didn’t have authority over the case, as the allegations occurred in New Zealand.

Pavlovich was 22 years old when she met Amanda Palmer in Auckland, New Zealand, in 2020. The two developed a friendship and after more than a year, Pavlovich began helping Palmer with various tasks, including running errands and caring for the young son she shared with Gaiman. At the time, Palmer and Gaiman were still married but separated and lived in different homes. It was during a visit to Gaiman’s house in 2022 that the alleged first instance of sexual assault — which Pavlovich described in detail in the article — took place.

Gaiman stayed quiet when the accusations became public but on Jan. 14, 2025, he finally addressed the claims in a post on his official website titled “Breaking the Silence.” In it, Gaiman maintained his innocence, writing, “I’m far from a perfect person, but I have never engaged in non-consensual sexual activity with anyone. Ever.”

Despite his staunch denial, Gaiman’s career has suffered severe blows, with his shows facing cancellations and his comic books being dropped by his publisher. Whether he can recover from the fallout remains to be seen.