Five women are suing actor Bill Cosby for acts of sexual abuse which happened decades ago as they attempted to break into show business.
The alleged victims said Cosby, 85, had posed as a mentor to them, but he instead drugged them, groped them, raped them and sexually abused them as far back as 1969, according to a lawsuit they filed Monday evening, Dec. 5, in Manhattan Supreme Court.
Lili Bernard, Eden Tirl, Jewel Gittens, Jennifer Thompson and Cindra Ladd — said Cosby volunteered to mentor them, but instead violated them when they were young and vulnerable. Four said the abuse occurred in the late 80s and early 90s.
Bernard, who played the role of Mrs. Minifield on “The Cosby Show,” said Cosby drugged and raped her on two occasions in 1990.
Over the years, Cosby has been accused by dozens of women of sexual assault and has adamantly denied the charges.
He was found guilty of three counts of aggravated indecent assault in 2018 and sentenced to 10 years in jail. He appealed the decision to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, which overturned his conviction, leading to his release in June 2021.