Bryan Singer And Michael Egan Sex Scandal Finally Ends With Apologies And Settlements


You may not remember the name Michael Egan, but if you follow entertainment news, then you have heard his name. Egan set off a scandal in Hollywood last year when he accused several high-profile entertainment figures of sexual abuse. The fact that Egan was 17-years-old when the alleged abuse occurred made the story even more troubling. The accused, which included X-Men director Bryan Singer, called Egan a “shakedown artist,” and it seems that they’ve been vindicated.

Variety reports that the former attorneys for Egan issued apologies to Garth Ancier and David Neuman, two of the men Egan accused of sexual assault. One of the attorneys, Jeff Herman, sent an apology letter to Ancier and Neuman.

“I sincerely apologize for bringing lawsuits against you on behalf of my former client Michael Egan. As you know, I withdrew from representing Mr. Egan two months after filing the complaints. Based on what I know now, I believe that I participated in making what I now know to be untrue and proveably false allegations against you. Had I known what I learned after filing the lawsuits, I would never have filed these claims against you. I deeply regret the pain, suffering and damage the lawsuit and publicity have caused you, and your family, friends and colleagues. I sincerely regret my role in this matter and for the harm that I caused. I have resolved this matter with compensation to you. I am hopeful that you can recover fully.”

Reportedly, the apology letters also contained a seven-figure payment in compensation for the scandal. Both Ancier and Neuman pursued legal action against Egan and his attorneys for malicious prosecution and defamation of character.

As previously reported by the Inqusitir, the scandal broke just as Singer’s film X-Men: Days of Future Past hit theaters last spring. While Singer maintained his innocence throughout the scandal, he initially accepted an offer by Herman and Egan to settle the case for $100,000, which reportedly represented only a fraction legal fees Singer stood to incur if the lawsuit went to trial. According to TMZ, Egan backed out of the settlement agreement a short time later, which prompted Herman to drop him as a client.

Egan’s accusations are chronicled in the new documentary An Open Secret, which opened to dismal ticket sales and a limited run on June 5. An Open Secret focuses on five adult men, one of whom is Egan, who were child actors connected to DEN (Digital Entertainment Network), an internet channel which targeted teenagers. Bryan Singer and David Neuman both had connections to DEN, Singer an investor and Neuman as the president. Two other men connected to DEN, founder Marc Collins-Rector and acting coach Bryan Peck, are convicted sex offenders.

[Image via Joe Seer / Shutterstock.com]

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