Five women are suing Bill Cosby, NBCUniversal, Carsey-Werner and Kaufman Astoria Studios under a New York law that temporarily lifts the statute of limitations on sexual assault claims.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the suit alleges that the companies facilitated sexual assault by “bestowing Bill Cosby with the power or the appearance of power at The Cosby Show.” It also claims that they either knew or should have known that the comedian was “sexually abusing, assaulting, and/or battering women, including on their premises, but did nothing to stop it.”
The allegations made by Lili Bernard, Eden Tirl, Jewel Gittens, and Jennifer Thompson date back to the late 1980s and early 1990s. Cindra Ladd says she met Cosby in 1969 and they were platonic friends until he drugged and raped her.
Cosby's spokesperson Andrew V. Wyatt sent The Hollywood Reporter a statement in response to the suit, which said the plaintiffs are unwilling to accept that Cosby “was vindicated by the Pennsylvania State Supreme Court almost a year and a half ago.” He says, “As we have always stated, and now America can see, this isn’t about justice for victims of alleged sexual assault, it’s ALL ABOUT MONEY. We believe that the courts, as well as the court of public opinion, will follow the rules of law and relieve Mr. Cosby of these alleged accusations. Mr. Cosby continues to vehemently deny all allegation waged against him and looks forward to defending himself in court.”