Bill Cosby, born on July 12, 1937, in Philadelphia, is a renowned comedian, actor, and producer. He first gained fame in the 1960s with the groundbreaking role in I Spy, making him the first African American actor to star in a leading dramatic role on network television. His most iconic project, The Cosby Show, ran from 1984 to 1992, becoming one of the highest-rated sitcoms in TV history. However, Cosby's career was marred by multiple allegations of sexual assault, culminating in his conviction in 2018 for the 2004 assault of Andrea Constand. Despite his fame and accolades, including several Emmys and Grammys, Cosby's legacy has been overshadowed by these criminal charges.
The Cosby Show starred Bill Cosby and Phylicia Rashad as Cliff and Clair Huxtable, an upper-middle-class couple in New York. Tempestt Bledsoe, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Lisa Bonet and Keshia Knight Pulliam played four of their five children
In 2014, Bill Cosby faced renewed public scrutiny over multiple allegations of sexual assault. Comedian Hannibal Buress brought attention to these claims during a routine, prompting many women to come forward, including model Janice Dickinson. Cosby remained silent, refusing to address the accusations publicly. As more women came forward, including several defamation lawsuits, NBC and Netflix dropped projects with Cosby, and his 2015 stand-up tour was cancelled. Legal documents from a 2005 civil suit revealed Cosby's admission to drugging women, leading to further allegations. By 2015, over 30 women had accused Cosby of sexual assault, resulting in revoked degrees and removed statues.
In 2015, Bill Cosby faced criminal charges for the alleged sexual assault and drugging of Andrea Constand in 2004. Despite over 50 women accusing him, Cosby denied the allegations. In 2016, a judge ruled there was enough evidence for a criminal trial, with Cosby facing up to 30 years in prison. During the trial, Constand testified that Cosby drugged and assaulted her, but the defence highlighted inconsistencies in her story. After 52 hours of deliberation, the jury declared a mistrial in June 2017. Cosby was retried, and in January 2018, he performed publicly for the first time since 2015.
Bill Cosby's retrial began in April 2018, with his defence seeking delays and trying to replace Judge Steven T. O'Neill. The prosecution revealed Cosby had paid $3.38 million to settle a previous sexual assault lawsuit. Testimonies from five women, including Janice Dickinson, described a pattern of Cosby drugging and assaulting them. Despite the defence's attempt to undermine Constand’s credibility, the jury found Cosby guilty on all three counts of aggravated indecent assault on April 26, 2018. In September, he was sentenced to 3-10 years in prison. However, in June 2021, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his conviction, leading to his release.
Cosby was released in 2021 after nearly three years in prison when Pennsylvania’s state supreme court overturned his conviction. His spokesperson, Andrew Wyatt, confirmed to Variety that the comedian was “looking … to start touring” in either the spring or summer. In June 2023 nine women filed a lawsuit against Bill Cosby, accusing the disgraced comedian of using his “enormous power, fame and prestige” to target them for sexual assaults. The women allege that Cosby drugged and assaulted them in locations across Nevada, including homes, dressing rooms, and hotels, between 1979 and 1992.
Nevada removed its statute of limitations on such cases, enabling the women to file their claims. Cosby's spokesman, Andrew Wyatt, dismissed the lawsuit, claiming the women were driven by “an addiction to massive amounts of media attention and greed.”
Some of the women in the latest lawsuit, including Lili Bernard, a former Cosby Show guest star, and model Janice Dickinson, have previously made their accusations public. Nevada's lifting of its statute of limitations for sexual abuse cases against adults now allows these claims to proceed, despite Cosby’s spokesman criticizing such "lookback laws."
"From this day forward, we will not continue to allow these women to parade various accounts of an alleged allegation against Mr Cosby any more without vetting them in the court of public opinion and inside of the courtroom," Wyatt stated.
In June 2024, Bill Cosby was reportedly facing the threat of foreclosure on two New York City townhouses, each worth millions of dollars. Cosby, 87, and his wife Camille, 80, were accused in a lawsuit of defaulting on $17.5 million in loans for a six-story townhouse on East 71st Street in Manhattan, according to court documents.
Crain's had previously reported in December 2023 that Cosby was also facing foreclosure on a townhouse on East 61st Street, after allegedly failing to make payments on a $4.2 million loan. Neither property had an attorney listed for Cosby, and the foreclosure complaint was directed at a limited liability company that he and Camille set up for the properties.
This financial setback came more than three years after Cosby's release from prison following a successful appeal to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. The actor, who has been accused by over 60 women of various crimes, including rape and sexual assault, was convicted in 2018 on three counts of aggravated indecent assault against Andrea Constand.
First Foundation Bank filed a lawsuit against Cosby’s LLC on December 31, 2024, seeking the sale of the East 71st Street townhouse to recoup the unpaid loans. Cosby reportedly bought the townhouse in 1987 for $6.2 million, and it was his primary residence for years. It is now believed to be worth up to $14 million.
According to the bank, the Cosbys missed their first loan payment on June 1, 2024, and received a notice of default on November 18. The bank also accused Cosby of failing to pay over $300,000 in property taxes. A deadline of December 12 was set for repayment, but First Foundation claims no payments were made.
Cosby’s other townhouse, located on East 61st Street, was facing foreclosure due to a complaint from CitiMortgage, which accused the couple of owing $3.7 million in principal from the $4.2 million loan, along with additional interest and fees. Cosby had purchased the four-story townhouse in 1980 for $1.2 million, and it is now worth around $6.8 million.
It was unclear whether the East 61st Street townhouse had been in use recently, though it had reportedly been primarily occupied by Cosby’s son, Ennis, who was tragically murdered in 1997. Bill and Camille were said to now reside in a home in the Philadelphia suburbs, which they purchased for $225,000 in 1983, just before the start of The Cosby Show.
