Sticky Situation, How do I protect myself?

[theodor]

Found out recently that a well known pedophile in the community has commissioned me after multiple people came forward with proof. Artwork was completed much much earlier, in the previous year. I do NOT want my art associated with them. What rights do I have to revoking upload usage? I know I own all copyrights, and can legally DMCA, but what backlash will I face by doing so (morally) and is it even worth it?
What can I do so that my art is not associated with them/the acts in the future? The user in question commissioned me and said the character was over 18, so I did NOT draw underage artwork, but the character in question is drawn as a minor quite often. Same exact design.

[Eden]

Here's your Twitter thread.

 

Now, as an artist?  If it was someone I wanted zero to do with, I'd issue a full refund and send a polite notice that all rights to the art are being rescinded.  It's a clean break, without the client being able to cry foul.  Then at the end of the message, I'd say any unauthorized uploads of the art will have a DMCA filed.

[Leongon]

Celestina's suggestion is pretty much the only way you can reverse it publicly, by returning the money.

But if you're dealing with someone that has gotten famous for pedophilia and is not in jail then I'd suggest a secondary option: Do nothing about the art they got from you, don't bring attention to it like this, ask AB to delete this thread and their twitter post, delete your public uploads of it, delete your public posts about it, and never work with that person again.

Not shining light on it is the best way to let things disappear on the internet, let that person get bored of that art naturally and stop using it, because when they find out this post they (out of spite), and everyone else (out of morbid curiosity), will be much more inclined to look for that art and keep using it. It's how the internet works. But yeah, though choice to make it a public and legal battle, or let it die quietly and when anyone asks just tell them you only were told about who that was after you worked with them.