Cosby faces fresh assault lawsuit from ex-Playboy model under new California law
A fresh lawsuit has been filed against Bill Cosby by former Playboy model Victoria Valentino, 80, who claims that the comedian drugged and sexually assaulted her in 1969. The lawsuit comes after Cosby’s release from prison in 2021, when his sexual assault conviction was overturned. Valentino’s suit has been filed under a California law that temporarily lifts the statute of limitations for sexual assault cases.
According to the lawsuit, Valentino alleges that Cosby offered her and a friend pills during a dinner, after which he took them to a nearby office. Upon regaining consciousness, Valentino claims she was assaulted and told Cosby she wanted to go home. The filing states that she was “incapable of consent” and “physically helpless.” Valentino is seeking unspecified damages, along with court and attorney fees.
In a statement, Valentino said the trauma caused by the 85-year-old has affected “not only me, but my children and grandchildren.” She hopes that speaking out will serve as a legacy to her family and help other survivors find their voices, showing that “hope and healing are possible.”
A representative for Cosby, Andrew Wyatt, dismissed Valentino’s claims as “without any proof or facts” and pointed out “inconsistencies in her many statements.”
Once regarded as “America’s Dad” and known for his role in the 1980s hit sitcom The Cosby Show, Cosby’s reputation crumbled after dozens of women accused him of rape, sexual harassment, and sexual misconduct dating back to the 1960s. Cosby has consistently denied these allegations, maintaining that all of his sexual encounters were consensual.
In 2018, Cosby was convicted of aggravated indecent assault against Andrea Constand in Pennsylvania. However, the conviction was overturned when the state’s highest court determined that Cosby should not have been tried, as he had reached an agreement with a previous prosecutor in 2005 that he would not be charged.
In a separate civil case last year, a California jury found Cosby guilty of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old in 1975 at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles, ordering him to pay US$500,000 in damages.
