Cosby accusers reach settlement in defamation case

An attorney for seven women who accused comedian Bill Cosby of sexual misconduct announced that they have settled a defamation case against him.

Cosby was sued in 2014 by Tamara Green, who alleges that Cosby sexually assaulted her in the 1970s. Green first made the accusation in 2005, and repeated it in interviews in 2014, which prompted denials from Cosby's camp, reports variety.com.

"This is a 10-year-old, discredited accusation that proved to be nothing at the time, and is still nothing," a Cosby publicist said at the time.

Green filed a defamation suit in December 2014, alleging that Cosby was falsely branding her a liar. She was later joined by six other women, whose allegations Cosby had also denied.

A year after the suit was filed, Cosby was charged with sexually assaulting Andrea Constand at his Pennsylvania home in 2004. He was convicted in April 2018 and is now serving a 3-to-10 year sentence in state prison.

In a filing on Friday, the plaintiffs' attorney, Joseph Cammarata, said that his clients' claims has been settled. The terms were not disclosed.

Cosby's spokesman issued a statement saying the settlement was made by his insurance company without his knowledge or consent.

"Mr. Cosby did not settle any cases with anyone. He is not paying anything to anyone, and he is still pursuing his counterclaims. AIG decided to settle these cases, without the knowledge, permission and/or consent of Mr. Cosby. Mr. Cosby vehemently denies the allegations brought against him in these defamation suits and he maintains his innocence," his representative said.

--IANS

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