Cosby saw his career torched after multiple allegations of rape and s—– assault were brought against him. He was subject to multiple civil and criminal cases, imprisoned for three years and has not worked since 2014.
Over 60 women have accused comedian Cosby of various offenses, including rape, drug-facilitated s—– assault, s—– battery, child s—– abuse and s—– harassment. The alleged incidents span from the mid-1960s to 2008 and reportedly occurred in ten U.S. states and one Canadian province.
They describe a distinct and predatory pattern of behavior, with one common element being an alleged use of drugs. Cosby was accused of offering women drinks or pills, such as Quaaludes or ‘herbal’ pills – which accusers say left them incapacitated – to render them unconscious or physically “frozen” and unable to resist or move.
In a 2005 civil deposition, Cosby admitted to obtaining Quaaludes with the intent of giving them to women for s–. Many accusers were aspiring models, actresses, or involved in the entertainment industry and viewed Cosby as a mentor or father figure, which he allegedly used to gain their trust before the assaults.
The women describe being s——- assaulted while they were impaired, disoriented, or completely unconscious. Some accusers said they received payments from Cosby afterward, which they viewed as a way to ensure their silence.
A former NBC employee claimed he paid off eight women on Cosby’s behalf in the 1970s. Due to statutes of limitations, most of the allegations did not result in criminal charges.
However, the allegations led to significant legal action. Cosby was criminally charged in Pennsylvania based on the allegations of Andrea Constand, a former Temple University employee.
In 2018, he was found guilty of three counts of aggravated indecent assault and sentenced to three to 10 years in prison.
His conviction was overturned by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court in June 2021 on a procedural due process issue related to an unwritten non-prosecution agreement with a previous district attorney, leading to his release from prison. Numerous civil lawsuits have been filed against Cosby.
In 2022, a Los Angeles jury found Cosby liable for s——- abusing Judy Huth at the Playboy Mansion in 1975 when she was a teenager and awarded her $500,000 in damages. In 2023, nine more women filed s—– assault lawsuits against Cosby in Nevada.
Cosby has consistently maintained his innocence and denied all allegations, stating the encounters were consensual. In a 2005 sworn deposition for a civil lawsuit, Cosby admitted he obtained the sedative Quaaludes with the intent of giving them to women he wanted to have s– with.
He acknowledged in the deposition he gave the drugs to at least one woman and had s– with her afterwards – and said he did not take the drugs himself. Cosby denied in the same deposition that he gave the substances to women without their knowledge or consent, claiming the s—– encounters were consensual.
When asked if he had ever given a woman the drug without her knowledge, his lawyer told him not to answer. He stated he offered the drug the same way someone would offer a drink.
