[TRIGGER WARNING: sexual assault]
This is Michael Beuerlein. He founded Anime Punch, a Columbus area anime convention, and was convention chair until he was convicted of sexual battery for the assault of a minor in Virginia (AT!! A!! CONVENTION!!) on September 5 2017. He is now a registered sex offender.
This man is a predator, and used our local convention scene to abuse women (especially minors) for over ten years.
This time, he propositioned a minor and when she said no, he assaulted her. The victim reported it to the convention staff, and they called the cops.
If you are a showrunner or con chair, ESPECIALLY IN OHIO, MICHIGAN, AND SURROUNDING STATES WITHIN DRIVING DISTANCE OF COLUMBUS– Do not allow him entry to your anime con, gaming con, or other pop culture fan events. His primary target is underage girls.
If you are staff and/or volunteer for a con, show this to your fellow staff to spread the word.
Here is a thread full of victims and ex-AP staffers sharing their stories in the wake of this conviction. (TW: descriptions of sexual assault.) This news hit our collective radar on Friday September 9, and there are STILL more victims coming forward to share their stories today, September 16, a full week later.
Anime Punch announced via social media that the organization has disbanded and the rest of the con staff will no longer be associating with AP or Michael Beuerlein. If you see promotional material for Anime Punch at any convention going forward, REPORT IT TO THE CONVENTION STAFF.
To get a little personal here, we have all been waiting for this for a long time. This man surrounds himself with impressionable and/or like-minded followers, and grooms everyone around him to either brush off, ignore, minimize, or simply not believe any of the allegations that came up around him over the last decade. He is the walking, talking embodiment of Rape Culture. I was on senior staff for three years, three conventions, from 2007 to 2009 and it took me, a Strong Independent Woman, THREE YEARS to finally see him for what he was. Abusive people do that to EVERYONE around them. I am no exception.
The man lit my friend on fire. I’m not even joking.
–
Stay safe at conventions. If you see something, say something. PROTECT EACH OTHER. Do not let this man or others like him exploit our communities.
Disclaimer: I, Alex Heberling, authored this post as a single, independent party, and I do not speak for or represent any Anime Punch staff members or volunteers, past or present. I speak only for myself.
