This article addresses sexual abuse allegations that may be triggering.
Summary
Justin Roiland, the co-creator of Rick and Morty, has been accused of sexual assault and grooming underage fans, as detailed in a troubling report. Eleven women and nonbinary individuals who were interviewed shared accounts of Roiland participating in sexually explicit conversations, with three of these incidents beginning when the individuals were only 16 years old.
The report reveals Roiland's alleged acts of pressuring a woman into engaging in non-consensual oral sex and making inappropriate comments concerning underage individuals. Co-creator of Rick and Morty, Justin Roiland, faces accusations of sexual assault and grooming minor fans in a troubling report. Following his arrest for felony domestic battery, Roiland was terminated from his shows and re-casted in Rick and Morty. However, the charges were subsequently dismissed due to lack of evidence. In the wake of these charges, social media posts emerged accusing Roiland of grooming and engaging in sexually explicit conversations with minors.
A new report from NBC News, based on interviews with 11 women and nonbinary individuals, reveals disturbing allegations against the co-creator of the popular show Rick and Morty. In a span from 2013 to 2022, these individuals describe exchanges through texts, emails, and social media direct messages, where nine of them claim that the conversations with Roiland became overly focused on sexual matters. Shockingly, three of the interviewees were only 16 years old at the start of these correspondences. To corroborate their accounts, all 11 sources have shared accompanying evidence such as images, videos, social media exchanges, and emails documenting their interactions with Roiland. Furthermore, the co-creator is faced with allegations of sexual assault, including forcing a woman to engage in unwanted oral sex. In response to these accusations, Andrew Brettler, the lawyer representing Roiland, vehemently denies the claims by stating that they are "false and defamatory."
The Latest Accusations Against Roiland, Explained
The report describes an incident involving Roiland purchasing two alcoholic beverages for a young woman who was 20 years old. The woman alleges that Roiland propositioned her for oral sex, to which she declined. However, she claims that Roiland forcibly directed her towards his groin, and she eventually gave in. She confided in a friend about the incident over the phone, which NBC News has verified. Additionally, the report includes screenshots of their text conversations, where the woman confronts Roiland about his actions and asserts that consent was never given. Roiland expresses his apologies to her via text message.
The report includes another incident in which Roiland invited a woman to his house to engage in sexual activities with another woman. The report describes this incident as "painful." After the incident, Roiland texted the woman who expressed her discomfort with group sex, stating that she felt "terrible." Roiland responded by assuring her that they didn't have to repeat it. He also texted that he wanted to have sex with her that night. The woman didn't respond as she had fallen asleep. Roiland then sent multiple messages, including an iPhone sticker depicting a man with multiple penises in his mouth. He sent it 14 times, claiming that he wanted her to have a good time. Although she claims to have consented to having sex with Roiland, the woman mentions feeling pressured into allowing a sexual encounter with Roiland the following day to be recorded and is concerned that he still possesses the video.
The report on the co-creator of Rick and Morty also brings to light messages where Roiland referred to two different 16-year-old individuals as "jailbait," a term used to describe underage women whom older men find attractive. In another message, a 16-year-old girl expresses her interest in livestreaming video games. Roiland replies by suggesting that she should engage in camming once she turns 18. One individual, who was underage, mentioned attending a party with Roiland. They were 17 when they first started conversing and 20 at the time of the party. Despite their reluctance to drink and being underage, Roiland offered them alcohol and asked them to kiss a woman he invited, causing them to leave the party.
Source: NBC News