Connect with us

U.S.

Bill Cosby Refutes Defamation Suit Settlement

Seven women suing Bill Cosby reached a settlement in their defamation case against him. The details have not been disclosed, but Cosby and his team say the settlement was made by his insurance company, without his knowledge or consent. He still maintains his innocence and plans to pursue his countersuit against the women. Settlement Reached […]

Published

4 years ago

on

  • Seven women suing Bill Cosby reached a settlement in their defamation case against him.
  • The details have not been disclosed, but Cosby and his team say the settlement was made by his insurance company, without his knowledge or consent.
  • He still maintains his innocence and plans to pursue his countersuit against the women.

Settlement Reached

A settlement has been reached in a defamation case against Bill Cosby, but Cosby and his team say the agreement was made without his knowledge.

The original lawsuit was filed in 2014, by seven women who said they were defamed by Cosby when he publically denied their allegations of sexual misconduct. The women are Tamara Green, Therese Serignese, Linda Traitz, Louisa Moritz, Barbara Bowman, Joan Tarshis, and Angela Leslie.

Court documents filed on Friday in the western division of the U.S. District Court of Massachusetts showed that the lawsuit had been settled. Joseph Cammarata, who represents the seven women, did not release details about the agreement, but he did tell the Associated Press that each of his clients “is satisfied with the settlement.”

The deal still awaits a judge’s approval.

Cosby’s Team Responds

Cosby’s spokesperson Andrew Wyatt confirmed that a settlement was reached, but says that the insurance company, AIG, reached the settlement without Cosby’s knowledge or consent.

“Mr. Cosby did not settle any cases with anyone,” Wyatt said in a statement. “He is not paying anything to anyone…Mr. Cosby vehemently denies the allegations brought against him in these defamation suits and he maintains his innocence.”

Cosby also released a statement saying, “AIG showed that they’re a part of the corruption against me, by paying off these distractors, without my knowledge, without my permission and without my consent.”

“AIG’s egregious behavior will be frowned upon by their many customers,” he continued. “They have proven that they do not have the best interest of their clients in mind, which will cause them to lose an overwhelming amount of business.”

The comedian responded to the seven women with a countersuit in 2015, claiming defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and loss of business. In his recent statement, he said he would continue to pursue that claim.

“I, [Bill Cosby], will never settle any defamation claim, I will continue to pursue my counterclaims, and I will not relinquish AIG from its responsibility in defending my defamation claims. That’s why I paid my premiums on time and I never let my policy lapse. AIG’s settlement of these claims in Massachusetts makes them look corrupt and it exposes my innocence.”

AIG’s Response

The insurance company is involved in this case because it was obligated to pay for legal services in defamation cases for Cosby under the provisions of his homeowner’s policy.  

A.I.G. tried to deny him coverage, arguing in court that it was not compelled to cover claims relating to sexual misconduct. However, judges in Massachusetts and California ultimately sided with Cosby.

An AIG spokesperson said the company could not comment on a specific case but said that they do not necessarily need a client’s permission to settle a case. “Certain insurance policies provide insurers with the authority to resolve claims when the insured has been informed.”

More Legal Battles

The settlement ends one of many legal battles involving Cosby. The comedian, who is now 81-years old, has been accused of sexual misconduct by more than 60 women over the span of decades.

In September 2018, Cosby was found guilty of thee counts of aggravated indecent assault for drugging and sexually assaulting former Temple University employee Andrea Constand in 2004.

He is currently serving a three to 10-year prison sentence and will also be required to register as a sexual predator for the rest of his life. However, he is appealing his conviction and maintains his innocence in all allegations of sexual assault.

His legal battles won’t end here. Chloe Goins, a model who says Cosby drugged and assaulted her at the Playboy Mansion in 2008, has filed a sexual battery complaint against him. Cosby also faces a possible trial related to assault claims made by a woman named Judy Huth, who says he sexually assaulted her when he was a minor.

On top of that, he faces another defamation lawsuit filed by former model Janice Dickinson. Dickinson appeared at Cosby’s trial last April, where she claimed that he drugged and sexually assaulted her at a Nevada hotel in 1982.

See what others are saying: (Deadline) (The Wrap) (The Washington Post)

Related Topics:

U.S.

White Supremacist Propaganda Reached Record High in 2022, ADL Finds

Published

2 weeks ago

on

March 9, 2023

By

 “We cannot sit idly by as these extremists pollute our communities with their hateful trash,” ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said.

White supremacist propaganda in the U.S. reached record levels in 2022, according to a report published Wednesday by the Anti-Defamation League’s Center of Extremism.

The ADL found over 6,700 cases of white supremacist propaganda in 2022, which marks a 38% jump from the nearly 4,900 cases the group found in 2021. It also represents the highest number of incidents ever recorded by the ADL. 

The propaganda tallied by the anti-hate organization includes the distribution of racist, antisemitic, and homophobic flyers, banners, graffiti, and more. This propaganda has spread substantially since 2018, when the ADL found just over 1,200 incidents. 

“There’s no question that white supremacists and antisemites are trying to terrorize and harass Americans with their propaganda,” ADL CEO Jonathan Greenblatt said in a statement. “We cannot sit idly by as these extremists pollute our communities with their hateful trash.” 

The report found that there were at least 50 white supremacist groups behind the spread of propaganda in 2022, but 93% of it came from just three groups. One of those groups was also responsible for 43% of the white supremacist events that took place last year. 

White supremacist events saw a startling uptick of their own, with the ADL documenting at least 167, a 55% jump from 2021. 

Propaganda was found in every U.S. state except for Hawaii, and events were documented in 33 states, most heavily in Massachusetts, California, Ohio, and Florida.

“The sheer volume of white supremacist propaganda distributions we are documenting around the country is alarming and dangerous,” Oren Segal, Vice President of the ADL’s Center on Extremism said in a statement. “Hardly a day goes by without communities being targeted by these coordinated, hateful actions, which are designed to sow anxiety and create fear.”

“We need a whole-of-society approach to combat this activity, including elected officials, community leaders, and people of good faith coming together and condemning this activity forcefully,” Segal continued. 

See what others are saying: (Axios) (The Hill) (The New York Times)

Continue Reading

Business

Adidas Financial Woes Continue, Company on Track for First Annual Loss in Decades

Published

2 weeks ago

on

March 8, 2023

By

Adidas has labeled 2023 a “transition year” for the company. 

Yeezy Surplus 

Adidas’ split with musician Kanye West has left the company with financial problems due to surplus Yeezy products, putting the sportswear giant in the position to potentially suffer its first annual loss in over 30 years. 

Adidas dropped West last year after he made a series of antisemitic remarks on social media and other broadcasts. His Yeezy line was a staple for Adidas, and the surplus product is due, in part, to the brand’s own decision to continue production during the split.

According to CEO Bjorn Gulden, Adidas continued production of only the items already in the pipeline to prevent thousands of people from losing their jobs. However, that has led to the unfortunate overabundance of Yeezy sneakers and clothes. 

On Wednesday, Gulden said that selling the shoes and donating the proceeds makes more sense than giving them away due to the Yeezy resale market — which has reportedly shot up 30% since October.

“If we sell it, I promise that the people who have been hurt by this will also get something good out of this,” Gulden said in a statement to the press. 

However, Gulden also said that West is entitled to a portion of the proceeds of the sale of Yeezys per his royalty agreement.

The Numbers 

Adidas announced in February that, following its divergence from West, it is facing potential sales losses totaling around $1.2 billion and profit losses of around $500 million. 

If it decides to not sell any more Yeezy products, Adidas is facing a projected annual loss of over $700 million.

Outside of West, Adidas has taken several heavy profit blows recently. Its operating profit reportedly fell by 66% last year, a total of more than $700 million. It also pulled out of Russia after the country’s invasion of Ukraine last year, which cost Adidas nearly $60 million dollars. Additionally, China’s “Zero Covid” lockdowns last year caused in part a 36% drop in revenue for Adidas compared to years prior.

As a step towards a solution, Gulden announced that the company is slashing its dividends from 3.30 euros to 0.70 euro cents per share pending shareholder approval. 

Adidas has labeled 2023 a “transition year” for the company. 

“Adidas has all the ingredients to be successful. But we need to put our focus back on our core: product, consumers, retail partners, and athletes,” Gulden said. “I am convinced that over time we will make Adidas shine again. But we need some time.”

See what others are saying: (The Washington Post) (The New York Times) (CNN)

Continue Reading

U.S.

Immigration Could Be A Solution to Nursing Home Labor Shortages

Published

2 weeks ago

on

March 7, 2023

By

98% of nursing homes in the United States are experiencing difficulty hiring staff. 

The Labor Crisis 

A recent National Bureau of Economic Research paper has offered up a solution to the nursing home labor shortage: immigration. 

According to a 2022 American Health Care Association survey, six in ten nursing homes are limiting new patients due to staffing issues. The survey also says that 87% of nursing homes have staffing shortages and 98% are experiencing difficulty hiring. 

The National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) outlined in their paper that increased immigration could help solve the labor shortage in nursing homes. Immigrants make up 19% of nursing home workers.

With every 10% increase in female immigration, nursing assistant hours go up by 0.7% and registered nursing hours go up by 1.1% And with that same immigration increase, short-term hospitalizations of nursing home residents go down by 0.6%.

The Solution 

Additionally, the State Department issued 145% more EB-3 documents, which are employment-based visas, for healthcare workers in the 2022 fiscal year than in 2019, suggesting that more people are coming to the U.S. to work in health care. 

However, according to Skilled Nursing News, in August of 2022, the approval process from beginning to end for an RN can take between seven to nine months. 

Displeasure about immigration has exploded since Pres. Joe Biden took office in 2021. According to a Gallup study published in February, around 40% of American adults want to see immigration decrease. That is a steep jump from 19% in 2021, and it is the highest the figure has been since 2016.

However, more than half of Democrats still are satisfied with immigration and want to see it increased. But with a divided Congress, the likelihood of any substantial immigration change happening is pretty slim. 

See what others are saying: (Axios) (KHN) (Skilled Nursing News)

Continue Reading