Actor Bill Cosby is facing new assault and sexual assault charges after five women filed a lawsuit Monday under New York’s new Adult Survivors Act.
Two actors who participated Cosby Program — Lili Bernard and Eden Tirl — are among the plaintiffs, ABC News reported. Other women listed include Jewel Gittens, Jennifer Thompson and Cindra Ladd.
The lawsuit accuses Cosby of assault, assault, mental distress and false imprisonment. The lawsuit also names NBC, the company that produced the show and where The Cosby Show was filmed, as well as Universal Media and Kaufman Astoria Studios because they clearly failed to protect women.
The five plaintiffs say Cosby, 85, took advantage of them decades ago because they were young and vulnerable.
The lawsuit, filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, says four of the women were accused of abuse in the late 80s and early 90s.
“Each plaintiff has been sexually assaulted and beaten by defendant Bill Cosby in the same or similar manner as he exercised his power, fame, and prestige, including power, fame, and prestige. trust given to him by the defendant(s)… to abuse his great power in such a nefarious, horrible way,” the lawsuit states.
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Bernard, who played Mrs. Minifield in Cosby Programsaid Cosby drugged and raped her twice in 1990 and 1991.
Tirl, who played a minor cop on the 1989 show, alleges that Cosby inappropriately touched her without consent while in the locker room.
Two of the other women, Gittens and Ladd, allege that they were drugged and raped by Cosby. Thompson alleges Cosby inappropriately touched her without her consent when she was 18.
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Cosby has denied the allegations through a statement from his representative.
“Mr. Cosby continues to vehemently deny all charges against him and wishes to defend himself in court.
Cosby has faced dozens of similar charges in recent years, with more than 50 women speaking out in 2014 and 2015 to say they were assaulted by the now-disgraced TV star.
His 2018 test marked the first major test of the #MeToo movement. He was found guilty of sexually assaulting Andrea Constand at the time and sentenced to between 3 and 10 years in prison. However, he was released in 2021 when the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his sentence, saying his due process rights had been violated.
FILE – This June 30, 2021, file photo shows Bill Cosby gesturing outside his home in Elkins Park, Pa., after serving his prison term.
Matt Rourke / Related Press
Earlier this year, jurors at a civil trial found that Cosby sexually abused a 16-year-old girl at the Playboy Mansion in 1975.
A Los Angeles County jury ruled in favor of Judy Huth, now 64, and awarded her $500,000.
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