For more than 50 years, Bill Cosby was one of America's leading entertainers — a standup comedian who became a television star and was once known as "America's Dad."
But his reputation has been tarnished in recent years by allegations of rape and sexual assault — allegations he has repeatedly denied.
Cosby was convicted of aggravated indecent assault in 2018 and sentenced to 3 to 10 years in a state prison. He was released from prison in 2021 after Pennsylvania's highest court overturned the conviction, saying his due process rights were violated.
The stunning decision reversed the first high-profile celebrity criminal trial of the #MeToo era.
In early December 2022, five women filed a lawsuit against Cosby in New York state court, accusing him of sexual assault and abuse dating back decades. At least two other lawsuits have been filed since, one in New York and one in California, by other women accusing Cosby of sexual assault. Cosby's press representative has denied the allegations.