‘X-Men’ director Bryan Singer accused of sexually abusing a boy

Bryan Singer, the director of “X-Men,” has been accused in a lawsuit of sexually abusing a teenage boy 15 years ago.

Mr. Singer said through his representative that the allegations were “completely without merit,” CNN reported. “We are very confident that Bryan will be vindicated in this absurd and defamatory lawsuit. It is obvious that this case was filed in an attempt to get publicity at the time when Bryan’s new movie is about to open in a few weeks.”

The lawsuit accuses Mr. Singer of trying to trade the opportunity to appear in “X-Men” for sexual favors — and of threatening to wreck the boy’s career if he refused, CNN said.

The alleged abuse occurred in 1998 and 1999, when the accuser was 17 years old, the lawsuit states. Jeff Herman, the attorney for the unnamed plaintiff, filed the suit in Hawaii because state law allows sex abuse cases that are that far in the past to be filed, CNN reported.

The suit says Mr. Singer “manipulated his power, wealth and position in the entertainment industry to sexually abuse and exploit the underage plaintiff through the use of drugs, alcohol, threats and inducements which resulted in plaintiff suffering catastrophic psychological and emotional injuries.”