Police were called to the home of comic book legend Stan Lee yesterday, reportedly to investigate battery charges.
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No suspect, victim, or further details have officially been named, but The Daily Mail has honed in on Lee’s longtime manager and bodyguard Max Anderson as the likely target of an investigation.
Adult Protective Services, an organization which investigates charges of elder abuse, were in attendance as well. The Los Angeles Police Department had no confirmation as to whether Lee was the alleged victim.
Nevertheless, that could quickly become the dominant narrative unless another story emerges: the Daily Mail story focuses heavily on Anderson’s criminal past, marked by charges of physical violence against those closest to him.
Anderson was convicted in 2002 of an assault against his wife and served a year in jail plus three years probation. In 2010 he was convicted of abusing his son, a charge that brought another three years’ probation plus court-mandated counseling.
Anderson has been Lee’s right-hand man for a number of years, credited with founding Stan Lee Collectibles. He is a frequent presence on the convention circuit, representing Lee behind the scenes as well as moderating panels and managing photo opportunities. ComicBook.com cannot confirm exactly when his relationship with Lee began, although Stan Lee Collectibles launched in 2004.
Anderson’s lawyer, who also works for Lee, was one of the people seen gathered near Lee’s apartment during the police presence yesterday.
Lee’s home life has been chaotic in recent months: in January, he was accused of groping several nurses working for a service who stopped serving Lee after what the owner came forward with numerous allegations of abuse.
Lee, through Lallas, categorically denied the charges and a new nursing service took over.
That same month, Lee discovered that someone had written a $300,000 check out of his accounts. After an investigation, it turned out someone had purchased an $850,000 home on Lee’s dime without his knowledge.
There has been no official statement yet from Lee, Anderson, or Lallas on the investigation and there is no indication that an arrest has been made. The LAPD confirmed only that an investigation was happening on Lee’s block.
