- Lili Bernard filed a federal lawsuit against Bill Cosby on Thursday accusing him of sexual assault.
- Bernard alleges Cosby drugged and raped her on a trip to Atlantic City in July 1990.
- Cosby was released from prison in June after a sexual assault conviction was vacated.
According to the lawsuit, filed in federal court in New Jersey and viewed by Insider, Lili Bernard says she first met Cosby on the set of "The Cosby Show" and that he "offered to be a mentor" for her acting career. Bernard and Cosby started meeting for acting coaching sessions, and it was in one of these sessions at the end of July 1990 that Bernard alleges she was first sexually assaulted by Cosby.
Bernard alleges Cosby grabbed her "rib cage and diaphragm without her permission" during a vocal exercise, then "grabbed and squeezed" her breasts. When Bernard confronted him about it, Cosby "feigned innocence and acted insulted," according to the lawsuit.
Bernard is among dozens of women who've accused Cosby of sexual misconduct over the years. In 2018, Cosby was sentenced to three to 10 years in prison for the 2004 assault of Andrea Constand, but he was released from prison in June when that conviction was vacated.
Cosby's spokesman, Andrew Wyatt, told Insider in a statement that Bernard's lawsuit is "just another attempt to abuse the legal process."
"Mr. Cosby continues to maintain steadfast in his innocence and will vigorously fight ANY alleged allegations waged against him and is willing and able to take this fight to the highest court in these United States of America," Wyatt said.
Wyatt also pointed out that a New Jersey prosecutor had terminated an investigation into Bernard's claims in 2015 because they were past the statue of limitations. Jason Merson, an attorney for Bernard, told Insider that won't be "an issue" in this case because New Jersey doesn't have a statue of limitations when it comes to sexual assault victims suing their attackers.
The most harrowing details in Bernard's lawsuit center on a trip the two took to Atlantic City in August 1990. Bernard says Cosby convinced her to go, saying he wanted to introduce her to a producer who would help her career.
Bernard says she went back to Cosby's suite after the dinner meeting, where he proceeded to fix her a "supposedly non-alcoholic beverage." After drinking the beverage, Bernard "began to feel symptoms of dizziness, an urge to vomit, and weakness," the lawsuit says.
Bernard says Cosby helped her to the restroom and said "Daddy's going to get you something to feel better," before leaving the room. She then vomited and lost consciousness, the lawsuit states.
Bernard awoke to Cosby undressing her, the lawsuit says. She says she told him no, but he continued to undress her, and she lost consciousness again.
The next time she awoke, Cosby was "naked atop her, vaginally raping her with his penis," the lawsuit alleges.
Bernard lost consciousness again, and when she awoke for a third time, the lawsuit says she was "naked and alone in an empty bathroom or jacuzzi in the bathroom, still dizzy and unable to move. She went in and out of consciousness until fully losing consciousness again."
Bernard awoke naked in bed the next morning, according to the lawsuit. Bernard says Cosby "dragged" her into a sitting position, dressed her, handed her money, and walked her to a waiting car "with the assistance of a bellman."
The lawsuit also alleges Cosby "sexually assaulted, battered, and drugged her on additional occasions."
Cosby additionally "threatened" Bernard to prevent her from going to police, according to the lawsuit, saying he would accuse her of defamation, prevent her from working in the entertainment industry, and "erase" her.
The lawsuit says Bernard was left with "psychological, mental, and physical trauma," thanks to Cosby. She's asking for a total of $225 million in damages.