Five former actresses sue Bill Cosby for sexual abuse, assault and battery

Two former actresses on “The Cosby Show” are among five women who filed a lawsuit against Bill Cosby in New York state court on Monday accusing him of sexual assault and abuse which allegedly occurred decades earlier.

The lawsuit accuses Cosby of assault, battery, infliction of emotional distress and false imprisonment and accuses the media companies of negligence.

The accusations were brought forward by Lili Bernard, Eden Tirl, Jewel Gittens, Jennifer Thompson and Cindra Ladd.

Cosby, along with NBCUniversal Media, Kaufman Astoria Studios and The Carsey-Werner Company, are named as defendants in the suit.

“Each plaintiff was sexually assaulted and battered by defendant Bill Cosby in the same or similar manner when he used his power, fame, and prestige, including the power, fame and prestige given to him by [the] defendants … to misuse his enormous power in such a nefarious, horrific way,” the suit alleges. “Now, these five Plaintiffs have come forward to stand up for themselves and others, after they were sexually abused and assaulted by Bill Cosby.”

Cosby’s spokesman, Andrew Wyatt, called the lawsuit “frivolous,” and said that “this isn’t about justice for victims of alleged sexual assault but it’s ALL ABOUT MONEY.”

“We believe that the courts as well as the court of public opinion will follow the rules of law and relieve Mr. Cosby of these alleged accusations. Mr. Cosby continues to vehemently deny all allegation [sic] waged against him and looks forward to defending himself in court,” Wyatt said.