Neil Gaiman Stoops Even Lower

Caroline Wallner is one of several women who have accused author Neil Gaiman of sexual abuse, as detailed in both the Vulture report and the Tortoise Media podcast. Wallner is the woman who, along with her husband and three children, lived on Gaiman’s property. After her marriage ended, Gaiman allegedly began pressuring her for sex in exchange for allowing her to remain on the land. At one point, she claims, he attempted to have sex with her while her four-year-old son was in the bed.

Wallner later signed an NDA, reportedly in exchange for $300,000, and was asked to leave.

Now, Gaiman is suing her. Not for defamation (likely a losing battle), but for $500,000 for allegedly violating the NDA. It’s a classic tactic: using legal threats to silence accusers. Gaiman claims Wallner breached confidentiality and non-disparagement clauses by speaking to Vulture and other outlets. He’s seeking arbitration—even though Wallner actually sued him first, last winter, alleging that he breached the same NDA by failing to delete text messages, photos, and videos as required.

According to Vulture, Wallner’s attorney finds it “unusual” that Gaiman would pursue an NDA case under these circumstances. “When you’re trying to silence someone who’s alleging really heinous acts,” the attorney said, “everyone thinks, Oh, the allegation must be true. I would think he may have come to the conclusion he has nothing left to lose.”

Gaiman, who denies the allegations, should crawl into obscurity and stay there (though, yes, Netflix is still moving ahead with The Sandman season two, set to premiere this summer).

Source: Vulture