Comedian Bill Cosby was once again accused of sexual assault in a new lawsuit on Thursday, June 1.
Victoria Valentino, an 80-year-old former Playboy model, is the accuser in the latest legal action against the 85-year-old actor, taken to the Los Angeles County Superior Court following an extension of California’s statute of limitations in sexual assault cases. This lawsuit comes on the heels of a 34-page complaint against Cosby, filed six months prior in New York’s Supreme Court by five other women.
In her lawsuit, Valentino claims that in 1969, Cosby drugged and sexually assaulted her at a Los Angeles restaurant. She first unveiled her accusations in 2014, claiming that Cosby exploited her while she was in a vulnerable state, grieving the drowning death of her six-year-old son. Cosby allegedly offered her a pill, promising it would alleviate their shared pain.
The lawsuit further alleges that, post-pill consumption, Valentino was incapacitated and Cosby took advantage of the situation to assault her.
In a press release, Valentino emphasized that Cosby capitalized on her time of severe distress, exacerbating the suffering she was undergoing due to her son’s death. By coming forward and sharing her experience, she hopes to establish a legacy for her family and embolden other survivors to share their stories, offering them a beacon of hope and potential healing.
Andrew Wyatt, Cosby’s representative, responded to the lawsuit by labeling it as an affront to Black men in America. He accused Valentino of spreading unfounded accusations without offering evidential or factual support. Wyatt highlighted the importance for the media to thoroughly investigate the inconsistencies in Valentino’s multiple statements, questioning the likelihood of identifying potential witnesses to testify for Cosby.
Cosby is no stranger to sexual assault allegations. He was convicted of aggravated indecent assault in 2018 based on Andrea Constand’s allegations, a former Temple University employee who claimed Cosby assaulted her in his Pennsylvania home in 2004. Following more than two years in prison, Cosby’s conviction was overturned, resulting in his release in June 2021.
In June 2022, Cosby was found guilty by a California jury for sexually assaulting Judy Huth, who was 16 at the time, in the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles in 1975. He was ordered to pay $500,000 in damages.
