Three federal judges in the United States have dismissed lawsuits accusing acclaimed British fantasy author Neil Gaiman of sexually assaulting his children’s nanny while the family resided in New Zealand four years ago.
In February 2025, Scarlett Pavlovich initiated legal actions against Gaiman and his wife Amanda Palmer in Wisconsin, citing multiple counts of sexual assault purportedly committed by Gaiman in 2022 during her employment as the couple’s nanny. On the same day, Pavlovich also filed suits against Palmer in Massachusetts and New York. Notably, Gaiman maintains a residence in northwestern Wisconsin, whereas Palmer resides in Massachusetts.
Following procedural developments, Pavlovich moved to withdraw the New York action against Palmer in May 2025, clarifying in court documents that the lawsuit had been filed there due to Palmer’s recent relocation from New York to Massachusetts and uncertain jurisdictional boundaries. United States District Judge Mary Kay Vyskocil approved the withdrawal in June.
Subsequently, Pavlovich withdrew claims against Palmer in Wisconsin, prompting U.S. District Judge James Peterson in Madison to dismiss the remainder of that lawsuit in October, citing that the matter belonged in New Zealand jurisdiction. Similarly, on the following Friday, U.S. District Judge Nathaniel Gorton dismissed the Massachusetts lawsuit on the same jurisdictional grounds.
Efforts by the Associated Press to obtain comments from the legal representatives of Pavlovich, Gaiman, and Palmer on Monday went unanswered.
Pavlovich publicly identified herself in a January 2025 interview with New York magazine, which published detailed allegations from multiple women accusing Gaiman of sexual assault, abuse, and coercion. According to her legal filings, Pavlovich was 22, homeless, and met Palmer in Auckland, New Zealand, in 2020. Following Palmer’s invitation to their home on Waiheke Island, she commenced work as the couple's son's nanny.
Legal documents claim that Gaiman assaulted Pavlovich on the night they met in February 2022, with assaults allegedly continuing over time. Financial hardship and homelessness compelled Pavlovich to remain in service to the family, exacerbated by Gaiman's promises to aid her writing ambitions. Pavlovich further alleges that Palmer was aware of Gaiman’s history of similar conduct with over a dozen women and was complicit in facilitating the environment. The assaults purportedly ceased only after Pavlovich expressed suicidal intent to Palmer.
The lawsuits assert violations of federal human trafficking statutes by Gaiman and Palmer, seeking damages amounting to no less than $7 million.
Responding to the allegations upon publication of the New York magazine article, Gaiman issued a statement denying any non-consensual sexual conduct. His attorneys characterized his relationship with Pavlovich as brief and consensual physical intimacy.
Additionally, Gaiman’s legal team referenced New Zealand police investigations into Pavlovich’s claims, which concluded the allegations lacked substantiation. They argued that Pavlovich’s litigation constitutes an orchestrated attempt to damage Gaiman’s reputation and that any disputes should be adjudicated in New Zealand courts rather than the United States.
Neil Gaiman is an internationally renowned author whose notable works include "American Gods," "The Graveyard Book," "Anansi Boys," "Coraline," and "The Ocean at the End of the Lane," the latter having won the British National Book Award in 2013.