Bill Cosby on Monday sued former supermodel Beverly Johnson, saying she defamed him by claiming he drugged and tried to have sex with her.
The comedian’s Los Angeles Superior Court suit alleges Johnson “joined the campaign to assassinate Mr. Cosby’s reputation and character by willfully, maliciously and falsely accusing Mr. Cosby of drugging her at his home in New York, and suggesting he did so in an effort to have sex with her.’’
The 78-year-old entertainer is seeking unspecified damages and also wants a court order stopping Johnson from repeating her allegations.
“(Johnson’s) accusations are entirely fabricated and nothing more than an opportunistic attempt to resuscitate her own career and benefit herself financially from the wave of media attention surrounding her false allegations against Mr. Cosby,’’ the suit says. “Mr. Cosby never drugged (her) and her story is a lie.’’
A representative for Johnson, 63, could not be immediately reached.
During interviews on such shows as “Good Morning America” and in publications including Vanity Fair, Johnson has alleged the drugging and attempt to have sex with her occurred in the 1980s after having dinner with the comedian at his home.
Cosby’s lawsuit says the only dinner he and Johnson ever had together was at a New York restaurant with the comedian’s wife present.
Cosby has been accused by dozens of women of drugging and sexually assaulting them, although he has denied any wrongdoing and has not been charged with a crime.
